The calendar and match schedule for the 2026 World Cup have been released
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will bring together the world’s top national teams, as well as teams that could be the tournament’s biggest surprises. Fans will be able to follow the full World Cup schedule, which will include matches from the group stage and the knockout rounds.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest in history and will be held for the first time in three countries—the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament will last 39 days—from June 11 to July 19.
For the first time, 48 national teams will compete in the final stage, playing a total of 104 matches. The teams will be divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group, as well as the eight best third-place teams, will advance to the knockout stage.
Matches will be hosted by 16 cities, including Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Kansas City.
Tournament schedule:
- group stage: June 11–28
- Round of 16: June 28–July 4
- Round of 16: July 4–7
- Quarterfinals: July 9–12
- Semifinals: July 15–16
- Third-place match and final: July 19
The tournament is scheduled to kick off on June 11 with a match between Mexico and South Africa.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first World Cup with an expanded format and a record number of matches, which will significantly increase the duration and intensity of the competition.
As a reminder, UEFA suspended Russia from international football back in 2022 following the start of the full-scale invasion, and since then, representatives of the aggressor country have not participated in European tournaments. As for Belarus, UEFA imposed only limited sanctions, which prohibit matches against Ukraine’s national teams in any tournaments under its auspices, starting in 2022.
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has suspended athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in all international competitions.
