2026 World Cup Schedule: Complete Roadmap for Fans
The wait is over. The 2026 World Cup, the biggest in history with 48 teams and 104 matches, now has a full roadmap — every date, every kick-off time, every stadium locked in across the USA, Canada and Mexico.
From June 11 to July 19, an entire continent becomes a fixture list.
A World Cup stretched across a continent
Sixteen stadiums will share the load, from the altitude and history of Estadio Azteca to the vast, gleaming arenas in Dallas, Los Angeles and New York/New Jersey.
The curtain rises on June 11 in Mexico City. Estadio Azteca, a ground that has staged Pelé and Maradona at their peak, hosts Mexico vs South Africa at 3pm ET in Group A. Later that night, Guadalajara gets its first taste as South Korea face Czechia at Estadio Akron.
From there, the group stage becomes a constant drumbeat. Double-headers, late nights, early afternoons. Fans planning to follow their nations will need a map as much as a calendar.
Group stage: giants on the move
Group A sends Mexico on a home-soil tour: Mexico City, Guadalajara, then back to Azteca for a heavyweight clash with Czechia on June 24. South Africa and South Korea split their time between Atlanta, Guadalajara and Monterrey, with their final group game at Estadio BBVA.
Group B belongs to Canada’s moment. Canada open in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12, then head west to Vancouver to face Qatar and finish against Switzerland. Qatar’s journey runs from the Bay Area to Seattle, while Switzerland bounce between California and British Columbia.
Group C delivers one of the early marquee fixtures: Brazil vs Morocco at MetLife Stadium on June 13 at 6pm ET. Brazil then swing through Philadelphia to face Haiti, before a glamorous showdown with Scotland in Miami on June 24. Scotland’s route runs Boston–Boston–Miami; Morocco’s includes Atlanta under the roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The USA’s path in Group D is anchored on the West Coast. The hosts start against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 12 at 9pm ET, then head to Seattle to face Australia before returning to LA for a potentially decisive clash with Turkiye on June 25. Australia and Turkiye split their games between Vancouver, the Bay Area and LA.
Germany’s Group E campaign begins in Houston against Curacao on June 14, moves to Toronto for a meeting with Ivory Coast, then lands in New York/New Jersey for Ecuador on June 25. Ivory Coast and Ecuador shuttle between Philadelphia, Kansas City and Toronto, while Curacao see Houston and Philadelphia.
Group F is built around heavyweight European names. Netherlands vs Japan opens in Dallas on June 14, with the Dutch later facing Sweden in Houston and finishing against Tunisia in Kansas City. Sweden’s route goes Monterrey–Houston–Dallas; Japan’s is Dallas–Monterrey–Dallas; Tunisia stay largely in Monterrey before ending in Kansas City.
Group G stretches from Los Angeles to Vancouver. Iran open against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium, while Belgium face Egypt in Seattle. Belgium then return to LA to meet Iran and finish in Vancouver against New Zealand. Egypt’s path is Seattle–Vancouver–Seattle.
Spain headline Group H. Their first game, against Cape Verde, lands in Atlanta on June 15 at noon ET. Saudi Arabia and Uruguay meet that same day in Miami. Spain later see Saudi Arabia again in Atlanta, before a blockbuster date with Uruguay in Guadalajara on June 26. Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia also pass through Houston and Miami.
Group I puts France in New York/New Jersey to start, against Senegal on June 16. Iraq face Norway in Boston that day. France then visit Philadelphia to play Iraq and return to Boston to close against Norway. Senegal’s route goes New Jersey–New Jersey–Toronto; Norway’s is Boston–New Jersey–Boston.
Argentina’s Group J journey begins under the lights in Kansas City against Algeria on June 16. They then head to Dallas to face Austria on June 22 and finish back in Dallas against Jordan on June 27. Austria and Jordan split their games between the Bay Area and Kansas City.
Group K belongs to Portugal and Colombia. Portugal open against Democratic Republic of Congo in Houston, then meet Uzbekistan there again before a potential group decider against Colombia in Miami on June 27. Colombia’s map reads Mexico City–Guadalajara–Miami; DR Congo’s is Houston–Guadalajara–Atlanta; Uzbekistan see Mexico City and Guadalajara before closing in Atlanta.
England anchor Group L. They start against Croatia in Dallas on June 17, move to Boston to play Ghana, then head to MetLife Stadium for Panama vs England on June 27. Croatia’s path runs Dallas–Toronto–Philadelphia; Ghana’s is Toronto–Boston–Philadelphia; Panama stay in Toronto before closing in New Jersey.
Knockouts: the bracket takes shape
Once the expanded group phase ends on June 27, the new-look Round of 32 begins.
On June 28 at SoFi Stadium, the runners-up from Groups A and B open the knockout drama. Over the next six days, the continent becomes a chessboard of elimination ties: Houston, Boston, Monterrey, Dallas, New York/New Jersey, Mexico City, Atlanta, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Miami and Kansas City all host Round of 32 matches.
Group winners are rewarded with varied routes. The winner of Group A, for example, heads back to Estadio Azteca on June 30, while the winner of Group L begins its knockout run in Atlanta on July 1. The top side from Group H travels to Los Angeles; Group B’s winner goes to Vancouver for a late 11pm ET kick-off on July 2.
From July 4, the Round of 16 tightens the field. Houston and Philadelphia stage the first ties, followed by New York/New Jersey and Mexico City on July 5. Dallas and Seattle host on July 6, then Atlanta and Vancouver complete the last-16 slate on July 7.
The quarterfinals are spread across four iconic venues: Boston on July 9, Los Angeles on July 10, then Miami and Kansas City on July 11. By then, the travel, the heat and the time zones will have taken their toll. Only four teams will be left standing.
The road to MetLife
The semifinal picture is stark. On July 14, AT&T Stadium in Dallas hosts the winner of Match 97 vs the winner of Match 98 at 3pm ET. A day later, on July 15, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta stages the other semi, between the winners of Matches 99 and 100.
The losers head to Miami for the third-place game at Hard Rock Stadium on July 18.
The winners get New York.
On July 19, at 3pm ET, MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey hosts Match 104: the World Cup final. The end point of a 39-day tournament, 104 matches, and a World Cup that has stretched from Vancouver to Mexico City, from Toronto to Los Angeles.
The schedule is set. The routes are clear. Now it’s down to the teams to decide who can survive a World Cup played on this scale — and who can handle a journey that ends under the New York sky.
