World Cup 2026 Finals: Full Schedule, Groups, and New Format
Hafsa Adil
The 2026 World Cup, the largest in history with 48 teams, will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across 16 venues in Canada, Mexico, and the USA. Defending champions Argentina lead the field, with debutants Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. The article details the group stage, a new 12-group format, and full knockout schedule ending with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium.
The 2026 World Cup finals will kick off on June 11, 2026, and conclude on July 19, 2026, featuring a record 48 teams – the largest in tournament history. It marks the first time the World Cup is hosted by three nations: Canada, Mexico, and the United States, 32 years after North America last hosted in 1994.
The tournament will take place at 16 stadiums, with a total of 104 matches. The opening match is scheduled for 21:00 GMT on June 11 at Mexico City Stadium (Mexico). The final will be held at 20:00 GMT on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium (USA) – the temporary name for MetLife Stadium under FIFA sponsorship rules.
Defending champions Argentina will aim to retain the title under Lionel Messi’s leadership. Four teams will make their World Cup debut: Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.
Groups and Participating Teams
The 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of four:
- 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: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
- Group E: Germany, Curacao, 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
Competition Format
The new format includes a group stage and four knockout rounds before the final. Unlike previous editions, the knockout stage begins with the Round of 32 (instead of the Round of 16), followed by the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final. The schedule unfolds in stages:
- Group Stage: June 11 – June 27
- Round of 32: June 28 – July 3
- Round of 16: July 4 – July 7
- Quarterfinals: July 9 – July 11
- Semifinals: July 14 – July 15
- Bronze Medal Match: July 18
- Final: July 19
Detailed Group Stage Schedule
June 11 (Thursday)
Mexico vs South Africa – 21:00 GMT – Mexico City Stadium
South Korea vs Czech Republic – 04:00 GMT (June 12) – Estadio Guadalajara
June 12 (Friday)
Canada vs Bosnia – 20:00 GMT – Toronto Stadium
USA vs Paraguay – 05:00 GMT (June 13) – Los Angeles Stadium
June 13 (Saturday)
Qatar vs Switzerland – 23:00 GMT – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
Brazil vs Morocco – 23:00 GMT – New York New Jersey Stadium
Haiti vs Scotland – 02:00 GMT (June 14) – Boston Stadium
Australia vs Turkey – 08:00 GMT (June 14) – BC Place
June 14 (Sunday)
Germany vs Curacao – 19:00 GMT – Houston Stadium
Netherlands vs Japan – 22:00 GMT – Dallas Stadium
Ivory Coast vs Ecuador – 00:00 GMT (June 15) – Philadelphia Stadium
Sweden vs Tunisia – 04:00 GMT (June 15) – Estadio Monterrey
June 15 (Monday)
Spain vs Cape Verde – 17:00 GMT – Atlanta Stadium
Belgium vs Egypt – 23:00 GMT – BC Place
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay – 23:00 GMT – Miami Stadium
Iran vs New Zealand – 05:00 GMT (June 16) – Los Angeles Stadium
June 16 (Tuesday)
France vs Senegal – 20:00 GMT – New York New Jersey Stadium
Iraq vs Norway – 23:00 GMT – Boston Stadium
Argentina vs Algeria – 03:00 GMT (June 17) – Kansas City Stadium
Austria vs Jordan – 08:00 GMT (June 17) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
June 17 (Wednesday)
Portugal vs DR Congo – 19:00 GMT – Houston Stadium
England vs Croatia – 22:00 GMT – Dallas Stadium
Ghana vs Panama – 00:00 GMT (June 18) – Toronto Stadium
Uzbekistan vs Colombia – 04:00 GMT (June 18) – Mexico City Stadium
June 18 (Thursday)
Czech Republic vs South Africa – 17:00 GMT – Atlanta Stadium
Switzerland vs Bosnia – 23:00 GMT – Los Angeles Stadium
Canada vs Qatar – 02:00 GMT (June 19) – BC Place
Mexico vs South Korea – 03:00 GMT (June 19) – Estadio Guadalajara
June 19 (Friday)
Scotland vs Morocco – 23:00 GMT – Boston Stadium
USA vs Australia – 23:00 GMT – Seattle Stadium
Brazil vs Haiti – 02:00 GMT (June 20) – Philadelphia Stadium
Turkey vs Paraguay – 08:00 GMT (June 20) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
June 20 (Saturday)
Netherlands vs Sweden – 19:00 GMT – Houston Stadium
Germany vs Ivory Coast – 21:00 GMT – Toronto Stadium
Ecuador vs Curacao – 04:00 GMT (June 21) – Kansas City Stadium
Tunisia vs Japan – 06:00 GMT (June 21) – Estadio Monterrey
June 21 (Sunday)
Spain vs Saudi Arabia – 17:00 GMT – Atlanta Stadium
Belgium vs Iran – 23:00 GMT – Los Angeles Stadium
Uruguay vs Cape Verde – 23:00 GMT – Miami Stadium
New Zealand vs Egypt – 05:00 GMT (June 22) – BC Place
June 22 (Monday)
Argentina vs Austria – 19:00 GMT – Dallas Stadium
France vs Iraq – 22:00 GMT – Philadelphia Stadium
Norway vs Senegal – 01:00 GMT (June 23) – New York New Jersey Stadium
Jordan vs Algeria – 07:00 GMT (June 23) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
June 23 (Tuesday)
Portugal vs Uzbekistan – 19:00 GMT – Houston Stadium
England vs Ghana – 21:00 GMT – Boston Stadium
Panama vs Croatia – 00:00 GMT (June 24) – Toronto Stadium
Colombia vs DR Congo – 04:00 GMT (June 24) – Estadio Guadalajara
June 24 (Wednesday)
Switzerland vs Canada – 23:00 GMT – BC Place
Bosnia vs Qatar – 23:00 GMT – Seattle Stadium
Scotland vs Brazil – 23:00 GMT – Miami Stadium
Morocco vs Haiti – 23:00 GMT – Atlanta Stadium
Czech Republic vs Mexico – 03:00 GMT (June 25) – Mexico City Stadium
South Africa vs South Korea – 03:00 GMT (June 25) – Estadio Monterrey
June 25 (Thursday)
Ecuador vs Germany – 21:00 GMT – New York New Jersey Stadium
Curacao vs Ivory Coast – 21:00 GMT – Philadelphia Stadium
Japan vs Sweden – 01:00 GMT (June 26) – Dallas Stadium
Tunisia vs Netherlands – 01:00 GMT (June 26) – Kansas City Stadium
Turkey vs USA – 06:00 GMT (June 26) – Los Angeles Stadium
Paraguay vs Australia – 06:00 GMT (June 26) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
June 26 (Friday)
Norway vs France – 20:00 GMT – Boston Stadium
Senegal vs Iraq – 20:00 GMT – Toronto Stadium
Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia – 02:00 GMT (June 27) – Houston Stadium
Uruguay vs Spain – 02:00 GMT (June 27) – Estadio Guadalajara
Egypt vs Iran – 07:00 GMT (June 27) – Seattle Stadium
New Zealand vs Belgium – 07:00 GMT (June 27) – BC Place
June 27 (Saturday)
Panama vs England – 22:00 GMT – New York New Jersey Stadium
Croatia vs Ghana – 22:00 GMT – Philadelphia Stadium
Colombia vs Portugal – 02:30 GMT (June 28) – Miami Stadium
DR Congo vs Uzbekistan – 02:30 GMT (June 28) – Atlanta Stadium
Algeria vs Austria – 04:00 GMT (June 28) – Kansas City Stadium
Jordan vs Argentina – 04:00 GMT (June 28) – Dallas Stadium
Knockout Stage Schedule
Knockout matches will take place from June 28 to July 19, with specific pairings determined after the group stage concludes. Venues have been assigned for each round.
Round of 32: June 28 – July 3 (matches at Los Angeles, Houston, Boston, Monterrey, Dallas, New Jersey, Mexico City, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, Miami, Kansas City)
Round of 16: July 4 – July 7 (matches at Houston, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Mexico City, Dallas, Seattle, Atlanta, BC Place)
Quarterfinals:
July 9 (Boston) – 21:00 GMT
July 10 (Los Angeles) – 23:00 GMT
July 11 (Miami) – 22:00 GMT
July 11 (Kansas City) – 03:00 GMT (July 12)
Semifinals:
July 14 (Dallas) – 21:00 GMT
July 15 (Atlanta) – 20:00 GMT
Bronze Medal Match: July 18 (Miami) – 22:00 GMT
Final: July 19 (New York New Jersey Stadium) – 20:00 GMT
