FIFA World Cup 2026 Matches & Results
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is the 23rd edition of the biggest football tournament in the world. The marquee tournament is set to begin on June 11, 2026, while the final will be played on July 19, 2026, making it a 39-day spectacle.
A total of 48 teams will participate in the expanded edition of the FIFA World Cup, the highest in the tournament's history. Argentina enter the competition as the defending champions after lifting the trophy in Qatar in 2022. Brazil remain the most successful nation in FIFA World Cup history with five titles.
Timings of FIFA World Cup 2026 Matches
Most FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will be played across three primary time slots for viewers in India. Due to the tournament being hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, fans can expect matches to start at 12:30 AM IST, 3:30 AM IST, and 6:30 AM IST on most matchdays. Some fixtures may have different kick-off times depending on the venue and scheduling requirements.
This means Indian fans will largely be able to watch matches during the late-night and early-morning hours throughout the tournament.
The opening match of the tournament will be played between Mexico and South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11, 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 2:30 AM IST.
Venues for the FIFA World Cup 2026
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City (Mexico)
Estadio BBVA, Monterrey (Mexico)
Estadio Akron, Guadalajara (Mexico)
MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey (Final)
AT&T Stadium, Dallas
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
NRG Stadium, Houston
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Lumen Field, Seattle
Levi's Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area
BC Place, Vancouver (Canada)
BMO Field, Toronto (Canada)
Gillette Stadium, Boston
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
FIFA World Cup 2026 Groups and Teams
The 48 qualified teams have been divided into 12 groups of four teams each. The top two teams from every group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will progress to the Round of 32 in the expanded tournament format.
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic
Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama