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The complete schedule for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been announced. Here's your detailed guide to the all the match timings in IST, match venues, match dates and the list of 48 teams divided into 12 groups.
Hosts Mexico will take on South Africa in a repeat of 2010 opening encounter at the FIFA World Cup 2026, president Gianni Infantino announced during the unveiling of the complete schedule in Washington, D.C on Saturday. A day before, FIFA announced the World Cup draw.
For the first time in the history of the tournament, 48 teams will be vying for the ultimate silverware. The FIFA World Cup started in 1930 with just 13 teams. It was expanded to 24 teams in 1982 and then to 32 in 1998, thus allowing more teams from Africa, Asia and North America.
The FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be jointly hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico, will start on June 11 with the final to be played on July 19. 16 cities around three countries will host the entire tournament. Notably, Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan will make their FIFA World Cup debuts. Argentina are the defending champions.
FIFA World Cup 2026 group stages full schedule
| Date (IST) | IST Kick-Off Time | Match & Group | Venue |
| June 12 | 1:30 AM | Mexico vs. South Africa (Group A) | Mexico City |
| 7:30 AM | South Korea vs. UEFA Playoff D (Group A) | Guadalajara | |
| June 13 | 12:30 AM | Canada vs. UEFA Playoff A (Group B) | Toronto |
| 3:30 AM | USA vs. Paraguay (Group D) | Los Angeles | |
| 6:30 AM | Australia vs. UEFA Playoff C (Group D) | Vancouver | |
| 9:30 PM | Brazil vs. Morocco (Group C) | New York/NJ | |
| June 14 | 12:30 AM | Haiti vs. Scotland (Group C) | Boston |
| 3:30 AM | Qatar vs. Switzerland (Group B) | San Francisco Bay Area | |
| 6:30 AM | Germany vs. Curaçao (Group E) | Houston | |
| June 15 | 12:30 AM | Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador (Group E) | Philadelphia |
| 3:30 AM | Netherlands vs. Japan (Group F) | Dallas | |
| 6:30 AM | UEFA Playoff B vs. Tunisia (Group F) | Monterrey | |
| June 16 | 12:30 AM | Spain vs. Cape Verde (Group H) | Atlanta |
| 3:30 AM | Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay (Group H) | Miami | |
| 6:30 AM | Belgium vs. Egypt (Group G) | Seattle | |
| June 17 | 12:30 AM | Iran vs. New Zealand (Group G) | Los Angeles |
| 3:30 AM | France vs. Senegal (Group I) | New York/NJ | |
| 6:30 AM | FIFA Playoff 2 vs. Norway (Group I) | Boston | |
| June 18 | 12:30 AM | Argentina vs. Algeria (Group J) | Kansas City |
| 3:30 AM | Austria vs. Jordan (Group J) | San Francisco Bay Area | |
| 6:30 PM | Portugal vs. FIFA Playoff 1 (Group K) | Houston | |
| 9:30 PM | Uzbekistan vs. Colombia (Group K) | Mexico City | |
| June 19 | 12:30 AM | England vs. Croatia (Group L) | Dallas |
| 3:30 AM | Ghana vs. Panama (Group L) | Toronto | |
| 6:30 AM | UEFA Playoff D vs. South Africa (Group A) | Atlanta | |
| 9:30 PM | Switzerland vs. UEFA Playoff A (Group B) | Los Angeles | |
| June 20 | 12:30 AM | Canada vs. Qatar (Group B) | Vancouver |
| 3:30 AM | Mexico vs. South Korea (Group A) | Guadalajara | |
| 6:30 AM | Brazil vs. Haiti (Group C) | Philadelphia | |
| 9:30 PM | Scotland vs. Morocco (Group C) | Boston | |
| June 21 | 12:30 AM | UEFA Playoff C vs. Paraguay (Group D) | San Francisco Bay Area |
| 3:30 AM | USA vs. Australia (Group D) | Seattle | |
| 6:30 AM | Germany vs. Ivory Coast (Group E) | Toronto | |
| 9:30 PM | Ecuador vs. Curaçao (Group E) | Kansas City | |
| June 22 | 12:30 AM | Netherlands vs. UEFA Playoff B (Group F) | Houston |
| 3:30 AM | Tunisia vs. Japan (Group F) | Monterrey | |
| 6:30 AM | Uruguay vs. Cape Verde (Group H) | Miami | |
| 9:30 PM | Spain vs. Saudi Arabia (Group H) | Atlanta | |
| June 23 | 12:30 AM | Belgium vs. Iran (Group G) | Los Angeles |
| 3:30 AM | New Zealand vs. Egypt (Group G) | Vancouver | |
| 6:30 AM | Norway vs. Senegal (Group I) | New York/NJ | |
| June 24 | 12:30 AM | France vs. FIFA Playoff 2 (Group I) | Philadelphia |
| 3:30 AM | Argentina vs. Austria (Group J) | Dallas | |
| 6:30 AM | Jordan vs. Algeria (Group J) | San Francisco Bay Area | |
| June 25 | 12:30 AM | England vs. Ghana (Group L) | Boston |
| 12:30 AM | Panama vs. Croatia (Group L) | Toronto | |
| 3:30 AM | Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (Group K) | Houston | |
| 3:30 AM | Colombia vs. FIFA Playoff 1 (Group K) | Guadalajara | |
| 6:30 AM | Scotland vs. Brazil (Group C) | Miami | |
| 6:30 AM | Morocco vs. Haiti (Group C) | Atlanta | |
| June 26 | 12:30 AM | Canada vs. Switzerland (Group B) | Vancouver |
| 12:30 AM | UEFA Playoff A vs. Qatar (Group B) | Seattle | |
| 3:30 AM | Mexico vs. UEFA Playoff D (Group A) | Mexico City | |
| 3:30 AM | South Korea vs. South Africa (Group A) | Monterrey | |
| 6:30 AM | Ecuador vs. Germany (Group E) | New York/NJ | |
| 6:30 AM | Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast (Group E) | Philadelphia | |
| 9:30 PM | Tunisia vs. Netherlands (Group F) | Kansas City | |
| 9:30 PM | Japan vs. UEFA Playoff B (Group F) | Dallas | |
| June 27 | 12:30 AM | UEFA Playoff C vs. USA (Group D) | Los Angeles |
| 12:30 AM | Paraguay vs. Australia (Group D) | San Francisco Bay Area | |
| 3:30 AM | Norway vs. France (Group I) | Boston | |
| 3:30 AM | Senegal vs. FIFA Playoff 2 (Group I) | Toronto | |
| 6:30 AM | New Zealand vs. Belgium (Group G) | Vancouver | |
| 6:30 AM | Egypt vs. Iran (Group G) | Seattle |
FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout schedule
| Stage | Start Date (IST) | Final Date (IST) | IST Timings (approximately) |
| Round of 32 | June 28 | July 3 | Primarily 12:30 AM, 3:30 AM, 6:30 AM |
| Round of 16 | July 4 | July 8 | Primarily 12:30 AM, 3:30 AM, 6:30 AM |
| Quarterfinals | July 9 | July 12 | Primarily 12:30 AM & 3:30 AM |
| Semifinal 1 | July 15 | 1:30 AM IST (Arlington, TX) | |
| Semifinal 2 | July 16 | 1:30 AM IST (Atlanta, GA) | |
| Third-Place Match | July 19 | 1:30 AM IST (Miami) | |
| World Cup Final | July 20 | 12:30 AM IST (New York/NJ) |
FIFA World Cup 2026 full list of groups
| Group | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 |
| A | Mexico | South Africa | Korea Republic | Winner UEFA play-off D |
| B | Canada | Winner UEFA play-off A | Qatar | Switzerland |
| C | Brazil | Morocco | Haiti | Scotland |
| D | USA | Paraguay | Australia | Winner UEFA Play-off C |
| E | Germany | Curacao | Ivory Coast | Ecuador |
| F | Netherlands | Japan | Winner UEFA Play-off B | Tunisia |
| G | Belgium | Egypt | Iran | New Zealand |
| H | Spain | Cape Verde | Saudi Arabia | Uruguay |
| I | France | Senegal | Winner Play-off 2 | Norway |
| J | Argentina | Algeria | Austria | Jordan |
| K | Portugal | Winner Play-off 1 | Uzbekistan | Colombia |
| L | England | Croatia | Ghana | Panama |
It must be noted that most of the matches will start at midnight or early morning according to the Indian Standard Time (IST). The IST is ahead of U.S., Mexican and Canadian time zones by 9.5 to 13.5 hours (depending on the US zone & Daylight Saving Time).
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