World Cup: Groups, dates and kick-off times for England’s matches

The 2026 World Cup brings a host of firsts: the first edition in history to be hosted across three countries, and the first to feature 48 nations. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, with the knockout stage spanning five rounds.

Here is your complete guide to England's 2026 World Cup tournament, including the calendar, format, fixtures, and more.

Dates	June 11 to July 19, 2026 (39 days)
Host countries	United States, Mexico and Canada
Number of groups	12 groups of four nations
England's group	Group L — with Croatia, Ghana and Panama
England's opener	June 17 at 9 pm BST — England vs. Croatia
Qualification	Top two from each group + Top eight third-placed teams
Total matches	104
Total nations	48

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What are the groups for the 2026 World Cup?

The World Cup draw on December 5 confirmed the make-up of the 12 groups. England are among the top seeds, alongside Germany, Argentina, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Portugal, Spain, and Brazil, as well as host nations the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

1. GROUP A: Mexico, South Korea, Czech Republic, South Africa — opener: Mexico vs. South Korea
2. GROUP B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia — opener: Canada vs. Switzerland
3. GROUP C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti — opener: Brazil vs. Morocco
4. GROUP D: United States, Paraguay, Turkey, Australia — opener: USA vs. Australia
5. GROUP E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao — opener: Germany vs. Ecuador
6. GROUP F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia — opener: Netherlands vs. Japan
7. GROUP G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand — opener: Belgium vs. Iran
8. GROUP H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde — opener: Spain vs. Uruguay
9. GROUP I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq — opener: France vs. Senegal
10. GROUP J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan — opener: Argentina vs. Austria
11. GROUP K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo — opener: Portugal vs. Colombia
12. GROUP L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama — opener: England vs. Croatia

Here’s how every nation lines up in their 2026 World Cup group:

Group A

1. Mexico
2. South Korea
3. South Africa
4. Czech Republic

Group B

1. Canada
2. Switzerland
3. Qatar
4. Bosnia

Group C

1. Brazil
2. Morocco
3. Scotland
4. Haiti

Group D

1. United States
2. Australia
3. Paraguay
4. Turkey

Group E

1. Germany
2. Ecuador
3. Ivory Coast
4. Curaçao

Group F

1. Netherlands
2. Japan
3. Tunisia
4. Sweden

Group G

1. Belgium
2. Iran
3. Egypt
4. New Zealand

Group H

1. Spain
2. Uruguay
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Cape Verde

Group I

1. France
2. Senegal
3. Norway
4. Iraq

Group J

1. Argentina
2. Austria
3. Algeria
4. Jordan

Group K

1. Portugal
2. Colombia
3. Uzbekistan
4. DR Congo

Group L

1. England
2. Croatia
3. Panama
4. Ghana

England at the 2026 World Cup

England will head to the 2026 World Cup aiming to end a six-decade wait to lift the trophy since their solitary triumph in 1966.

To achieve that, they will need to come through Group L and then five knockout rounds. Here’s a look at England’s potential path:

When do England play at the 2026 World Cup?

With the draw complete, England’s 2026 World Cup schedule is as follows:

England's opener	June 17 (Wed), 9 pm BST	Croatia
England's second match	June 23 (Tue), 9 pm BST	Ghana
England's third match	June 27 (Sat), 10pm BST	Panama

Kick-off times are varied throughout the group stage, with some matches played simultaneously during the knockout rounds.

If England qualify as one of the top sides in their group, their knockout route is mapped out. Their first knockout match takes place on July 1, with the venue and opponent determined by their group finish.

If they finish first in the group:

• They would face the best third-place team from groups E, H, I, J or K at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

If they finish second in the group:

• They would face the runner-up of Group K at BMO Field in Toronto.

Looking further ahead, England could meet Brazil in the quarter-finals if both teams top their groups, with that potential fixture pencilled in for July 11 in Miami.

Topping the group would also mean England would not meet any of their fellow top-four seeds, Argentina, Spain, or France, until the semi-finals at the earliest.

A potential semi-final against Argentina would follow, while finishing second in the group puts England on the opposite side of the bracket, where a round-of-16 clash with Spain could loom instead.

FIFA has structured the 2026 knockout bracket using a two-pathway system designed to keep the highest-ranked nations apart until the semi-finals, with France kept on the far side of the draw entirely — meaning the two sides could only meet in a potential final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.

Which group are England in?

After the draw in Washington, England were placed alongside Croatia, Ghana, and Panama in Group L. The Three Lions open against Morocco, face Haiti in the second match, and finish the group stage against Scotland.

Which countries will England play in?

With the groups set, England will play their entire group stage in the United States.

The projected venues for each round are:

• Opener: AT&T Stadium
• Second match: Gillette Stadium
• Third match: MetLife Stadium

Full 2026 World Cup calendar

Here are the full dates for the 2026 World Cup, which begins on June 11 at Estadio Azteca and ends with the final on July 19 in East Rutherford:

• Group stage: June 11 to June 27
• Round of 32: June 29 to July 3
• Round of 16: July 4 to July 7
• Quarter-finals: July 9 to July 11
• Semi-finals: July 14 and July 15
• Third-place play-off: July 18
• Final: July 19

2026 World Cup trivia: USA, Mexico and Canada share the stage

For the first time in history, the World Cup will have three host nations: the USA, Mexico and Canada. The only previous occasion on which more than one country hosted the tournament was in 2002, when Japan and South Korea were the joint hosts.

Other firsts at this edition include a record 48 participants, a record 104 matches, and a record event length of 39 days.

Match distribution by host country

The United States will be the main stage for the 2026 World Cup, with Canada and Mexico hosting matches only through the round of 16. The breakdown is as follows:

• Canada: 13 matches
• Mexico: 13 matches
• United States: 78 matches

2026 World Cup host cities

A total of 16 cities and 16 stadiums will host the 2026 World Cup. The full list is as follows:

United States host cities

• Los Angeles: SoFi Stadium (capacity 70,240)
• Dallas: AT&T Stadium (capacity 80,000)
• Boston: Gillette Stadium (capacity 65,878)
• New York/New Jersey: MetLife Stadium (capacity 82,500)
• Kansas City: Arrowhead Stadium (capacity 76,416)
• Atlanta: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (capacity 71,000)
• Houston: NRG Stadium (capacity 71,795)
• Miami: Hard Rock Stadium (capacity 64,767)
• Philadelphia: Lincoln Financial Field (capacity 69,176)
• San Francisco/San Jose: Levi's Stadium (capacity 68,500)

Mexican host cities

• Mexico City: Estadio Azteca (capacity 87,823)
• Monterrey: Estadio BBVA (capacity 53,500)
• Guadalajara: Estadio Akron (capacity 46,232)

Canadian host cities

• Vancouver: BC Place (capacity 54,500)
• Toronto: BMO Field (capacity 30,000)

Forty-Eight Nations: The Biggest World Cup in History

The expansion to 48 teams has benefited every continent. The breakdown of places for 2026 is as follows:

• North and Central America: six places (three for the host nations plus three from CONCACAF qualifying)
• South America: six places
• Europe: 16 places
• Africa: nine places
• Asia: eight places
• Oceania: one place
• Intercontinental play-off: two places

The two FIFA World Cup play-off places were contested by six teams from five confederations, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Iraq coming through.

Which nations have already qualified for the World Cup?

All 48 nations qualified for the 2026 World Cup are now confirmed. Here is the full list:

South American nations

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Ecuador
• Uruguay
• Colombia
• Paraguay

European nations

• England
• France
• Croatia
• Portugal
• Norway
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Switzerland
• Scotland
• Spain
• Austria
• Belgium
• Bosnia
• Sweden
• Turkey
• Czech Republic

Nations from other continents

• United States
• Mexico
• Canada
• Curaçao
• Panama
• Haiti
• Morocco
• Tunisia
• Egypt
• Algeria
• Ghana
• Cape Verde
• South Africa
• Senegal
• Ivory Coast
• Australia
• Japan
• Jordan
• Republic of Korea
• Islamic Republic of Iran
• Uzbekistan
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• New Zealand
• Congo
• Iraq

Who came through the 2026 World Cup play-offs?

The play-offs were settled in March, and the six qualified nations are now known. With Italy missing out for the third time in a row, here are the sides that got through and will be at the World Cup:

• Path A (UEFA): Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Path B (UEFA): Sweden
• Path C (UEFA): Turkey
• Path D (UEFA): Czech Republic
• Path 1 (intercontinental play-offs): DR Congo
• Path 2 (intercontinental play-offs): Iraq

Where to Watch the World Cup in England?

The 2026 World Cup matches will be broadcast in England entirely free-to-air, with BBC and ITV sharing the rights to all 104 matches. Under UK broadcasting law, the tournament is a protected “crown jewel” event, meaning no paid television subscription is required to watch a single game.

The 104 matches are split equally between the two broadcasters — 52 matches each — with both airing the final together. For viewers focused on the national team, both broadcasters will show England's matches across the tournament.

Broadcaster	Matches	Free?
BBC / BBC iPlayer	52 matches	✅
ITV / ITVX	52 matches	✅

For streaming, every match is available free of charge. BBC iPlayer is the digital home for all BBC-allocated matches, featuring live streams, full-match replays and highlights. ITVX is the digital hub for all ITV matches and is also launching a dedicated 24/7 World Cup channel featuring classic matches and behind-the-scenes content.

BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra will also provide live audio commentary for all BBC matches throughout the tournament.

Frequently asked questions about the 2026 World Cup

Here are the main questions about the 2026 World Cup:

What will the 2026 World Cup look like?

The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams split into 12 groups of four. The top two from each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the knockout stage, played as single-leg ties through to the final.

Why will the 2026 World Cup be held in three countries?

The decision to host the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada is tied to the infrastructure available in those countries and the expansion to 48 nations, which requires more stadiums and host cities to deliver the tournament.

What is the 2026 World Cup calendar?

The 2026 World Cup begins on June 11, and the group stage finishes on June 27. The knockout phase then runs from June 29 to July 19, the date of the final.

Who will be the top seeds at the 2026 World Cup?

England will be a top seed at the 2026 World Cup, along with Canada, Mexico, the United States, Spain, Argentina, France, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.

Who are England's opponents at the World Cup?

England's opponents in the 2026 World Cup group stage are Croatia, Ghana and Panama