The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the biggest in history — 48 teams, 104 matches, 16 stadiums, three countries, 39 days. It kicked off on June 11 with Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and runs through the Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026.
Whether you are tracking your team through the bracket, planning travel to a match, or just need every key date in one place — here is the complete schedule with confirmed results and upcoming fixtures.
World Cup 2026 At a Glance
| Detail | Info |
| Total teams | 48 (expanded from 32) |
| Total matches | 104 |
| Host countries | USA, Canada, Mexico |
| US venues | 11 stadiums |
| Tournament start | June 11, 2026 — Mexico 2-0 South Africa at Estadio Azteca |
| Tournament end | July 19, 2026 — Final at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey |
| Total duration | 39 days |
| Format | Group stage → Round of 32 → Round of 16 → QF → SF → Final |
| Champion plays | 8 matches total (up from 7 in previous World Cups) |
Group Stage: June 11 — June 27
The group stage is the opening phase of the tournament. All 48 teams play three matches each across 12 groups labeled A through L. The top two teams from each group advance automatically — 24 teams total. The eight best third-place teams also advance, giving 32 teams entering the Round of 32.
Confirmed group stage results so far:
- June 11 — Tournament opens: Mexico 2-0 South Africa at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- June 12 — USA 4-1 Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles; Canada 1-1 Bosnia at BMO Field Toronto
- June 14 — Germany 7-1 Curaçao (smallest nation in World Cup history); Argentina 3-0 Algeria with Messi’s first WC hat-trick
- June 17 — England 4-2 Croatia at AT&T Stadium, Arlington TX
- June 19 — USA 2-0 Australia at Lumen Field, Seattle; USA through to Round of 32
- June 23 — England vs Ghana at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough MA
- June 27 — Group stage ends; all 32 qualifying teams confirmed
The 12 World Cup 2026 Groups
| Group | Teams |
| A | Mexico, South Africa, Colombia, Ecuador |
| B | Argentina, Algeria, Japan, Australia |
| C | Brazil, Scotland, Uruguay, Cameroon |
| D | USA, Paraguay, Australia, Uzbekistan |
| E | France, Morocco, Austria, Qatar |
| F | Spain, Peru, New Zealand, Sweden |
| G | Portugal, Senegal, Ghana, Panama |
| H | Netherlands, Tunisia, Iraq, Croatia |
| I | Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Indonesia |
| J | Belgium, Croatia, Egypt, Haiti |
| K | South Korea, Norway, Cabo Verde, Jordan |
| L | England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama |
Round of 32: June 28 — July 3
The Round of 32 is a new addition to the World Cup format, introduced for the first time for the 2026 expanded 48-team tournament. All 32 advancing teams play 16 single-elimination matches across six days. Teams that win their group face specific third-place finishers based on pre-drawn bracket pairings from the December 2025 draw in Washington DC.
The USA’s Round of 32 match takes place on July 1 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California — as Group D winners after defeating Paraguay 4-1 and Australia 2-0. England’s Round of 32 match date and venue depends on Group L final standings. If England top Group L, they play a designated third-place team on July 1-2. As runners-up, they face a group winner from a designated group.
Round of 16: July 4 — July 7
The Round of 16 reduces the tournament field from 16 to 8 teams. Eight matches over four days across major US venues including MetLife Stadium (New Jersey), AT&T Stadium (Arlington TX), Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), and SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles). The July 4 Independence Day weekend timing is significant for US matches — a potential USA Round of 16 match on Independence Day weekend would be one of the most watched sporting events in American history.
At this stage, the bracket structure from the December 2025 draw becomes fully visible. The seeding separation keeps Spain and Argentina on one half of the bracket, and France and England on the other — ensuring these four nations cannot meet before the semifinals.
Quarterfinals: July 9 — July 11
Four quarterfinal matches take place across three days. Confirmed quarterfinal venues include Gillette Stadium (Foxborough/Boston), AT&T Stadium (Arlington TX), MetLife Stadium (NJ), and SoFi Stadium (LA). Eight teams remain at this point and every match is do-or-die.
The quarterfinal stage is where tournament favorites are expected to converge. If seedings hold and no major upsets occur through the Round of 32 and Round of 16, potential quarterfinal matchups could include: England vs Portugal, France vs Netherlands, Spain vs Brazil, and Argentina vs Germany. These are projections — the actual matchups depend entirely on results through the knockout rounds.
Semifinals and Final: July 14-19
| Stage | Date | Venue |
| Semifinal 1 | July 14 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington TX |
| Semifinal 2 | July 15 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta GA |
| Third Place Playoff | July 18 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens FL |
| FINAL | July 19 | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford NJ |
The World Cup 2026 Final at MetLife Stadium (3:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM BST) is the first World Cup Final to feature a halftime show — headlined by Shakira, Madonna, and BTS, produced by Global Citizen and curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin. US broadcast on FOX and Telemundo. UK broadcast free on BBC One and ITV1 simultaneously.
England’s Full Tournament Path
England entered the 2026 World Cup as the fourth-highest ranked team globally (FIFA ranking 4). Their group stage campaign:
- June 17 — England 4-2 Croatia at AT&T Stadium, Arlington TX (Group L match 1)
- June 23 — England vs Ghana at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough MA (Group L match 2)
- June 27 — England vs Panama at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford NJ (Group L match 3)
If England advance from Group L (likely as group winner or strong runner-up), their knockout path: Round of 32 (July 1-3), Round of 16 (July 4-7), Quarterfinal (July 9-11), Semifinal (July 14-15), Final (July 19). Following the bracket seeding, England cannot face France until the Final — France is on the other side of the bracket.
USA’s Full Tournament Path
The US Men’s National Team (USMNT) entered as one of three host nations with automatic qualification. As home nation, the USA has had significant crowd advantage in their matches so far — SoFi Stadium (LA) and Lumen Field (Seattle) were both at or near capacity for USA’s group games.
- June 12 — USA 4-1 Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles (Group D match 1)
- June 19 — USA 2-0 Australia at Lumen Field, Seattle (Group D match 2; USA qualified)
- Group D match 3 — vs Uzbekistan; exact date to be confirmed
USA’s Round of 32 match is July 1 at Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara (as Group D winners). A potential USA run to the Final would see the tournament’s climactic match feature the home nation at MetLife Stadium — which would be one of the most significant moments in US soccer history.
How to Watch World Cup 2026
| Country | How to Watch |
| USA English | FOX (70 matches incl. Final) + FS1 (34 matches); Fox One streaming $19.99/month |
| USA Spanish | Telemundo (92 matches); Peacock streaming $10.99/month |
| USA free options | Tubi (select matches); YouTube (first 10 min per game); Fox One 3-day free trial |
| UK | BBC iPlayer (54 matches) + ITVX (51 matches) — all 104 free |
| Australia | SBS On Demand — all 104 matches free |
| Canada | CTV, TSN, RDS — various |
Rooting for the US? See our full guide to USMNT World Cup 2026 schedule, results, and where to watch for every USA fixture with times, venues, and broadcast details.
Watching from the UK? See our guide to World Cup 2026 UK kick-off times — every match time converted to BST.
Track live scores, standings, and the full bracket in real time at FIFA.com/worldcup — the official tournament hub updated after every match.
Bottom Line
| Start date | June 11, 2026 — Mexico 2-0 South Africa at Estadio Azteca |
| Final date | July 19, 2026 — MetLife Stadium NJ; 3:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM BST |
| Teams / Matches | 48 teams; 104 matches |
| New format | Round of 32 — first time in World Cup history |
| USA R32 | July 1, Levi’s Stadium Santa Clara |
| England opener | 4-2 vs Croatia, June 17, AT&T Stadium Arlington TX |
| Final halftime show | Shakira, Madonna, BTS — first ever WC halftime show |
| USA broadcast | FOX / FS1 (English); Telemundo / Universo (Spanish) |
| UK broadcast | BBC iPlayer + ITVX — all 104 free |
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 2026 World Cup start and end?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup started on June 11, 2026 with Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The tournament ends on July 19 with the Final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Total duration: 39 days, 104 matches.
Where is the World Cup 2026 Final?
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey — known during the tournament as New York New Jersey Stadium. Kickoff: July 19 at 3:00 PM ET (8:00 PM BST). Capacity 82,500. Accessible from Manhattan by NJ Transit (30-40 min from Penn Station). First-ever World Cup Final halftime show: Shakira, Madonna, and BTS.
How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?
48 teams — expanded from 32 at Qatar 2022. Divided into 12 groups of 4. Top 2 from each group advance (24 teams) plus the 8 best third-place finishers = 32 teams in the new Round of 32 knockout stage.
What is the World Cup 2026 Round of 32?
The Round of 32 is a brand new knockout stage introduced for the first time in World Cup history for 2026. 32 teams play 16 single-elimination matches between June 28 and July 3. The 16 winners advance to the Round of 16 — the traditional format’s first knockout round.
What time is the World Cup 2026 Final?
3:00 PM Eastern Time on Sunday July 19, 2026. That converts to: 8:00 PM BST (UK), 9:00 PM CEST (Europe), 12:00 PM PT (Pacific). On FOX in the US (English) and Telemundo (Spanish). On BBC One and ITV1 in the UK — both free to air simultaneously.