GUIDE · SCHEDULE
World Cup 2026 schedule: every key date
PUBLISHED JUN 11 · 2026 DATA REFRESHED AT EACH BUILD
By the PlaySpinWheel editorial team
The 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026: 39 days, 104 matches, 16 stadiums across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
It opens with Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and ends with the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
What are the key dates of World Cup 2026?
| DATE | WHAT HAPPENS |
|---|---|
| June 11 | Opening match: Mexico vs South Africa, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City |
| June 11–27 | Group stage: twelve groups, 72 matches |
| Late June onward | Knockout rounds: the new Round of 32, then Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals |
| July 19 | Final: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey |
How does the opening stretch look?
The first days bring a steady drumbeat of group matches spread across all three host countries. Here is how the tournament opens (kickoff times in UTC):
| Nº | FIXTURE | GROUP | KICKOFF (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico vs South Africa | A | JUN 11 · 19:00 UTC |
| 2 | South Korea vs Czech Republic | A | JUN 12 · 02:00 UTC |
| 3 | Canada vs Bosnia-Herzegovina | B | JUN 12 · 19:00 UTC |
| 4 | USA vs Paraguay | D | JUN 13 · 01:00 UTC |
| 5 | Qatar vs Switzerland | B | JUN 13 · 19:00 UTC |
| 6 | Brazil vs Morocco | C | JUN 13 · 22:00 UTC |
| 7 | Haiti vs Scotland | C | JUN 14 · 01:00 UTC |
| 8 | Australia vs Turkey | D | JUN 14 · 04:00 UTC |
| 9 | Germany vs Curaçao | E | JUN 14 · 17:00 UTC |
| 10 | Netherlands vs Japan | F | JUN 14 · 20:00 UTC |
| 11 | Ivory Coast vs Ecuador | E | JUN 14 · 23:00 UTC |
| 12 | Sweden vs Tunisia | F | JUN 15 · 02:00 UTC |
That's the appetizer: the full 104-match schedule, converted to whatever clock you live on, sits in the match time converter.
What time do World Cup 2026 matches kick off?
Kickoffs follow each stadium's local time, and the venues span four time zones: Eastern, Central, and Pacific time plus central Mexico time. For European viewers most matches land in the evening or deep into the night; in Asia they're an early-morning affair. One example: the opening match starts at 1 pm in Mexico City, which is 8 pm in London, 9 pm in Paris, and 4 am the next morning in Tokyo.
Where is the tournament played?
Sixteen stadiums share the load: eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. The biggest is Estadio Azteca in Mexico City; the final belongs to MetLife Stadium. The full venue list, with capacities and what each one hosts, is in our stadium guide.
Never do time-zone math at midnight again:
See every kickoff in your time zone →Fair questions
- When does the 2026 World Cup start?
- June 11, 2026, with Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the first match of Group A.
- When is the 2026 World Cup final?
- Sunday, July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
- How long does the group stage last?
- June 11 to June 27: 72 matches across twelve groups, after which the knockout rounds begin with the Round of 32.
- How many matches are played in total?
- 104 matches over 39 days, the most of any World Cup. The previous 32-team format had 64.
- How do I see kickoff times in my time zone?
- Use the free match time converter on this site. It reads your device's time zone automatically and converts all scheduled kickoffs, no signup needed.