World Cup 2026 Schedule

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the largest in history, featuring 104 matches played across 39 days. The tournament begins on 11 June 2026 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, a venue that has hosted two previous finals. From that opening whistle, the schedule moves through a dense group stage followed by an expanded knockout bracket, concluding with the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on 19 July 2026.

The schedule is built around a regionalized approach to limit travel for teams and fans during the early rounds. The group stage alone consists of 72 matches played between 11 June and 27 June. With 12 groups of four teams, most days will feature four matches, providing a constant stream of football across three time zones in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Following the group stage, the tournament enters the knockout phase, starting with the new Round of 32. This stage runs from 28 June to 3 July. Winners then progress to the Round of 16 (4–7 July), the Quarter-finals (9–11 July), and the Semi-finals (14–15 July). The bronze medal match takes place in Miami on 18 July, just 24 hours before the world champion is crowned in New Jersey.