FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Timer
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the 23rd FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international men’s football championship. For the first time in tournament history, it will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The tournament will begin on June 11, 2026, with the opening match at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, and conclude with the final on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey.
The tournament kicks off on Thursday, June 11, 2026 in Mexico City. Check what day of the week it will be and plan your football-watching schedule!
Matches will be played across different time zones. Use our time zone converter to never miss a match!
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage Schedule
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature an expanded format with 48 teams competing in 12 groups. Here’s the complete group stage schedule:
Week 1 – Group Stage Kickoff
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Match 1 – Group A (Mexico #1) – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Match 2 – Group A – Estadio Guadalajara
Friday, June 12, 2026
Match 3 – Group B (Canada #1) – Toronto Stadium
Match 4 – Group D (USA #1) – Los Angeles Stadium
Saturday, June 13, 2026
Match 5 – Group C – Boston Stadium
Match 6 – Group D – BC Place, Vancouver
Match 7 – Group C – New York/New Jersey Stadium
Match 8 – Group B – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
Sunday, June 14, 2026
Match 9 – Group E – Philadelphia Stadium
Match 10 – Group E – Houston Stadium
Match 11 – Group F – Dallas Stadium
Match 12 – Group F – Estadio Monterrey
Week 2 & 3 – Group Stage Continues
The group stage competition continues with matches scheduled from June 15 to June 27, 2026, across all 16 host cities. Check the official FIFA World Cup 2026 website for detailed fixture information.
Knockout Stage Schedule
For the first time, the FIFA World Cup will feature a Round of 32 before proceeding to the traditional Round of 16.
Round of 32
Matches will be played from June 28 to July 3, 2026
Round of 16
Matches will be played from July 4 to July 7, 2026
Quarter-finals
Matches will be played from July 9 to July 11, 2026
Semi-finals
Matches will be played on July 14 and July 15, 2026
Third Place Play-off
Match will be played on July 18, 2026 in Miami Stadium
Final
Sunday, July 19, 2026
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final will be played at the New York/New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium)
Host Cities & Venues
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted across 16 cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States:
Canada
Toronto
Vancouver
Mexico
Mexico City
Guadalajara
Monterrey
United States
Atlanta
Boston
Dallas
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles
Miami
New York/New Jersey
Philadelphia
San Francisco Bay Area
Seattle
Official Links & Resources
- Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Website
- Host Cities Information
- Ticket Information (When Available)
- Time Zone Converter – Never miss a match with our convenient time zone converter tool
- Day of Week Calculator – Plan your World Cup viewing schedule
FIFA World Cup 2026 Tournament Facts
- First World Cup to feature 48 teams (expanded from 32)
- First World Cup to be hosted by three different countries
- First World Cup to include a Round of 32 knockout stage
- Spans 16 cities across North America
- Will feature 104 matches (up from 64 in previous tournaments)
- The tournament will run for 39 days