2026 World Cup Calendar: Dates and times of all World Cup matches

The countdown is on for the 2026 World Cup, with just six weeks remaining before the launch of the maiden edition that will debut the tournament’s new 48-team format.

The World Cup will be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the tournament’s curtain-raiser set to take place at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The bulk of the matches will be played in the United States – 78 out of the 104 games – including the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.

Reigning champions Argentina will kick off their title defence in Kansas City on 16 June, when they take on North African powerhouse Algeria, while England will open their campaign against Croatia in Dallas on June 17.

While the World Cup format remains unchanged, with the top two sides in each of the 12 groups of four nations advancing to the knockout stage, each nation will now need to play eight matches, instead of seven, to win the trophy, following the expansion of the tournament.

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Where to watch World Cup 2026 games in the UK

BBC Sport and ITV Sport will share the rights to broadcast the World Cup matches in the UK, with extensive analysis, highlight packages and digital clips to be shown across BBC Sport Online and ITVX, while Scotland's corresponding ITV channel STV will have the games on display from North America.

How to stream World Cup 2026

Streaming services ITVX and the BBC iPlayer will air the World Cup games live, offering viewing options through mobile devices, game consoles and smart TVs.

On ITVX, download the app on your device and click on the ‘Live' TV section to stream the World Cup match being broadcast at that time.

For BBC iPlayer, download the app on your device and search for the sport section to access the World Cup coverage.

Dates and times of all World Cup matches

Thursday, June 11

Group A: Mexico vs South Africa (8pm)

Friday, June 12

Group A: South Korea vs Czech Republic (3am)
Group B: Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina (8pm)

Saturday, June 13

Group D: USA vs Paraguay (2am)
Group B: Qatar vs Switzerland (8pm)
Group C: Brazil vs Morocco (11pm)

Sunday, June 14

Group C: Haiti vs Scotland (2am)
Group D: Australia vs Turkey (5am)
Group E: Germany vs Curacao (6pm)
Group F: Netherlands vs Japan (9pm)

Monday, June 15

Group E: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (12am)
Group F: Sweden vs Tunisia (3am)
Group H: Spain vs Cape Verde (5pm)
Group G: Belgium vs Egypt (8pm)
Group H: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay (11pm)

Tuesday, June 16

Group G: Iran vs New Zealand (2am)
Group I: France vs Senegal (8pm)
Group I: Iraq vs Norway (11pm)

Wednesday, June 17

Group J: Argentina vs Algeria (2am)
Group J: Austria vs Jordan (5am)
Group K: Portugal vs DR Congo (6pm)
Group L: England vs Croatia (9pm)

Thursday, June 18

Group L: Ghana vs Panama (12am)
Group K: Uzbekistan vs Colombia (3am)
Group A: Czech Republic vs South Africa (5pm)
Group B: Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina (8pm)
Group B: Canada vs Qatar (11pm)

Friday, June 19

Group A: Mexico vs South Korea (2am)
Group D: USA vs Australia (8pm)
Group C: Scotland vs Morocco (11pm)

Saturday, June 20

Group C: Brazil vs Haiti (1.30am)
Group D: Turkey vs Paraguay (4am)
Group A: Netherlands vs Sweden (6pm)
Group E: Germany vs Ivory Coast (9pm)

Sunday, June 21

Group E: Ecuador vs Curacao (1am)
Group F: Tunisia vs Japan (5am)
Group H: Spain vs Saudi Arabia (5pm)
Group G: Belgium vs Iran (8pm)
Group H: Uruguay vs Cape Verde (11pm)

Monday, June 22

Group G: New Zealand vs Egypt (2am)
Group J: Argentina vs Austria (6pm)
Group I: France vs Iraq (10pm)

Tuesday, June 23

Group I: Norway vs Senegal (1am)
Group J: Jordan vs Algeria (4am)
Group K: Portugal vs Uzbekistan (6pm)
Group L: England vs Ghana (9pm)

Wednesday, June 24

Group L: Panama vs Croatia (12am)
Group K: Colombia vs DR Congo (3am)
Group B: Switzerland vs Canada (8pm)
Group B: Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar (8pm)
Group C: Morocco vs Haiti (11pm)
Group C: Scotland vs Brazil (11pm)

Thursday, June 25

Group A: South Africa vs South Korea (2am)
Group A: Czech Republic vs Mexico (2am)
Group E: Curacao vs Ivory Coast (9pm)
Group E: Ecuador vs Germany (9pm)

Friday, June 26

Group F: Tunisia vs Netherlands (12am)
Group F: Japan vs Sweden (12am)
Group D: Turkey vs USA (3am)
Group D: Paraguay vs Australia (3am)
Group I: Norway vs France (8pm)
Group I: Senegal vs Iraq (8pm)

Saturday, June 27

Group H: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia (1am)
Group H: Uruguay vs Spain (1am)
Group G: New Zealand vs Belgium (4am)
Group G: Egypt vs Iran (4am)
Group L: Panama vs England (10pm)
Group L: Croatia vs Ghana (10pm)

Sunday, June 28

Group K: Colombia vs Portugal (12.30am)
Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan (12.30am)
Group J: Algeria vs Austria (3am)
Group J: Jordan vs Argentina (3am)
Round of 32 – Match 73: Group A runners-up vs Group B runners-up (8pm)

Monday, June 29

Round of 32 – Match 76: Group C winners vs Group F runners-up (6pm)
Round of 32 – Match 74: Group E winners vs Group A/B/C/D/F third place (9.30pm)

Tuesday, June 30

Round of 32 – Match 75: Group F winners vs Group C runners-up (2am)
Round of 32 – Match 78: Group E runners-up vs Group I runners-up (6pm)
Round of 32 – Match 77: Group I winners vs Group C/D/F/G/H third place (10pm)

Wednesday, July 1

Round of 32 – Match 79: Group A winners vs Group C/E/F/H/I third place (2am)
Round of 32 – Match 80: Group L winners vs Group E/H/I/J/K third place (5pm)
Round of 32 – Match 82: Group G winners vs Group A/E/H/I/J third place (9pm)

Thursday, July 2

Round of 32 – Match 81: Group D winners vs Group B/E/F/I/J third place (1am)
Round of 32 – Match 84: Group H winners vs Group J runners-up (8pm)

Friday, July 3

Round of 32 – Match 83: Group K runners-up vs Group L runners-up (12am)
Round of 32 – Match 85: Group B winners vs Group E/F/G/I/J third place (4am)
Round of 32 – Match 88: Group D runners-up vs Group G runners-up (7pm)
Round of 32 – Match 86: Group J winners vs Group H runners-up (11pm)

Saturday, July 4

Round of 32 – Match 87: Group K winners vs Group D/E/I/J/L third place (2.30am)
Round of 16 – Match 90: Match 73 winners vs Match 75 winners (6pm)
Round of 16 – Match 89: Match 74 winners vs Match 77 winners (10pm)

Sunday, July 5

Round of 16 – Match 91: Match 76 winners vs Match 78 winners (9pm)

Monday, July 6

Round of 16 – Match 92: Match 79 winners vs Match 80 winners (1am)
Round of 16 – Match 93: Match 83 winners vs Match 84 winners (8pm)

Tuesday, July 7

Round of 16 – Match 94: Match 81 winners vs Match 82 winners (1am)
Round of 16 – Match 95: Match 86 winners vs Match 88 winners (5pm)
Round of 16 – Match 96: Match 85 winners vs Match 87 winners (9pm)

Thursday, July 9

Quarter-final – Match 97: Match 89 winners vs Match 90 winners (9pm)

Friday, July 10

Quarter-final – Match 98: Match 93 winners vs Match 94 winners (8pm)

Saturday, July 11

Quarter-final – Match 99: Match 91 winners vs Match 92 winners (10pm)

Sunday, July 12

Quarter-final – Match 100: Match 95 winners vs Match 96 winners (2am)

Tuesday, July 14

Semi-final – Match 101: Match 97 winners vs Match 98 winners (8pm)

Wednesday, July 15

Semi-final – Match 102: Match 99 winners vs Match 100 winners (8pm)

Saturday, July 18

Third Place Playoff – Match 103: Match 101 losers vs Match 102 losers (10pm)

Sunday, July 19

Final – Match 104: Match 101 winners vs Match 102 winners (8pm)

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