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Written by
David Nugent -
26 May 20263 min. read
The 2026 FIFA World Cup starts on June 11 and will continue until July 19. The World Cup will take place across three countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada. From the quarterfinals onwards, all matches will be played only in the United States, while the final will take place at MetLife Stadium, just outside New York City.
This will be the first time that 48 teams play in the World Cup. With the increased number of teams, one additional knockout round has been added, and a total of 104 matches will be played. Here, we will cover all the most important information about the FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- The 2026 FIFA WC takes place June 11 – July 19 in the US, Canada and Mexico.
- A total of 104 matches will be played, with an additional knockout round added.
- From the quarterfinals onward, all matches will be played only in the US.
- 8 of the 12 teams that finish third in their group will qualify for the Round of 32.
- All 2026 FIFA World Cup matches will be played across four different time zones.
Key FIFA World Cup 2026 Dates
The opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be played between Mexico and South Africa. After the opening match, there will also be a Group A meeting between South Korea and Czech Republic. Two more matches will be played on June 12, and from June 13 until June 28, four matches will take place every day. For those looking to place bets, the best bookmakers offer competitive odds, live betting options, and secure platforms to maximize your World Cup experience.
In the first two rounds, only one match will be played at a time, while in the third round, matches from the same group will take place at the same time. All the most important FIFA World Cup 2026 dates:
| Stage | Date | Match |
|---|---|---|
| Group Stage | June 11 – 17 | Matchday 1 |
| June 18 – 23 | Matchday 2 | |
| June 24 – 27 | Matchday 3 | |
| Knockout Stage | June 28 – July 3 | Round of 32 |
| July 4 – 7 | Round of 16 | |
| July 9 – 11 | Quarterfinals | |
| July 14 – 15 | Semifinals | |
| July 18 at 21:00 (GMT +0) | Match for the 3rd place | |
| July 19 at 19:00 (GMT +0) | Final |
The Most Important FIFA World Cup Group Stage Matches
In each group, teams will play three matches, with the top two teams qualifying for the Round of 32. In addition, as many as 8 of the 12 teams that finish third will also qualify for the Round of 32.
The added knockout round means there will be more important matches in the group stage, as even until the final matches, it may still be unclear which teams will qualify for the knockout rounds.
A total of 72 matches will be played in the group stage, and here we have selected not only the most interesting but also the most important ones, where the final group position should be decided.
| Match | Date | Time (GMT +0) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina (Group B) | June 12 | 19:00 |
| Brazil vs Morocco (Group C) | June 13 | 22:00 |
| Netherlands vs Japan (Group F) | June 14 | 20:00 |
| Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (Group E) | June 14 | 23:00 |
| Belgium vs Egypt (Group G) | June 15 | 19:00 |
| England vs Croatia (Group L) | June 17 | 20:00 |
| Mexico vs South Korea (Group A) | June 19 | 01:00 |
| Netherlands vs Sweden (Group F) | June 20 | 17:00 |
| Argentina vs Austria (Group J) | June 22 | 17:00 |
| Norway vs Senegal (Group I) | June 23 | 00:00 |
| Switzerland vs Canada (Group B) | June 24 | 19:00 |
| Czech Republic vs Mexico (Group A) | June 25 | 01:00 |
| Ecuador vs Germany (Group E) | June 25 | 20:00 |
| Japan vs Sweden (Group F) | June 25 | 23:00 |
| Turkey vs USA (Group D) | June 26 | 02:00 |
| Norway vs France (Group I) | June 26 | 19:00 |
| Uruguay vs Spain (Group H) | June 27 | 00:00 |
| Colombia vs Portugal (Group K) | June 27 | 23:30 |
| Algeria vs Austria (Group J) | June 28 | 02:00 |
Main Things to Know About the FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule
The main thing to know is that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be played in a new format for the first time:
- Instead of 32 teams, 48 will take part in the World Cup
- The Round of 32 has been added to the knockout stage
- The teams that finish in the top two places in their group and the 8 best third-placed teams will qualify for the Round of 32
- A total of 104 matches will be played (72 in the group stage)
The number of matches is large enough to find valuable betting opportunities, so it is recommended to focus more on analysis in the opening matches. Favorites usually aim to reach peak form once the knockout rounds begin, so they may not yet be at their best in the group stage.
The increased number of teams means that almost every group has one clear favorite, but at the same time, there is more intrigue in the battle for second place in the group.
Even before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, bets can be placed on the first two group stage rounds. It is recommended not to rush and to spend time getting to know the teams. Watch how they look during friendly matches and how they play their first official match, as this can have a major impact on their motivation for the second and third matches.
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