2026 FIFA World Cup: Complete Tournament Schedule and Key Dates

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin on Thursday, June 11, with Mexico taking on South Africa at the Mexico City Stadium. The competition will run for more than five weeks before ending with the final on Sunday, July 19, at the New York New Jersey Stadium in the United States.

Group Stage (June 11–27)

The opening phase of the tournament will feature matches across host cities in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

The first day sees Mexico face South Africa in Mexico City, followed later by South Korea against Czech Republic in Guadalajara.

On June 12, Canada meet Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, while the United States play Paraguay in Los Angeles.

The action continues on June 13 with Qatar vs Switzerland, Brazil vs Morocco, Haiti vs Scotland, and Australia vs Türkiye.

June 14 features Germany against Curaçao, Netherlands versus Japan, Ivory Coast against Ecuador, and Sweden taking on Tunisia.

On June 15, Spain face Cape Verde, Belgium meet Egypt, Saudi Arabia play Uruguay, and Iran clash with New Zealand.

June 16 includes France vs Senegal, Iraq vs Norway, Argentina vs Algeria, and Austria vs Jordan.

The final opening-round matches on June 17 see Portugal take on DR Congo, England meet Croatia, Ghana play Panama, and Uzbekistan face Colombia.

The second and third rounds of group fixtures continue from June 18 through June 27, determining which nations advance to the knockout phase.

Round of 32 (June 28–July 3)

The newly introduced Round of 32 begins on June 28 and concludes on July 3, with matches staged in Los Angeles, Houston, Boston, Monterrey, Dallas, New Jersey, Mexico City, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, Miami, and Kansas City.

Round of 16 (July 4–7)

The last-16 stage starts on July 4 in Houston and Philadelphia before moving to New Jersey, Mexico City, Dallas, Seattle, Atlanta, and Vancouver over the following days.

Quarterfinals (July 9–11)

The final eight teams will battle for semifinal places beginning on July 9 in Boston.

Additional quarterfinals will be played in Los Angeles, Miami, and Kansas City.

Semifinals (July 14–15)

The first semifinal is scheduled for July 14 in Dallas, while the second will be held July 15 in Atlanta.

Third-Place Match (July 18)

The playoff to decide third place will take place in Miami on July 18.

World Cup Final (July 19)

The tournament concludes on Sunday, July 19, when the two remaining teams meet at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. ET (19:00 GMT) as the world’s next football champion is crowned.

With 48 participating nations, the 2026 edition will be the largest FIFA World Cup ever staged, featuring matches across three host countries and some of North America’s most iconic stadiums.