🔥 Trending 2026 World Cup Schedule: Key Dates and Matchups

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19, 2026 ⁴. This edition of the tournament will feature 48 teams and a total of 104 games ²³⁷.

Tournament Overview

The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by three North American nations: Canada, Mexico, and the United States ²³⁷. This marks the first time the tournament will have an expanded format with 48 participating teams, leading to a larger number of matches compared to previous editions ²³⁷.

Key Dates and Stages

The tournament structure includes a group stage, followed by a knockout phase that begins with a Round of 32.

• Tournament Dates: June 11 – July 19, 2026 ⁴.
• Number of Teams: 48 ²³⁷.
• Total Matches: 104 ²³⁷.
• Round of 32 Start: The Round of 32 is expected to begin around June 28, 2026 ⁸. For instance, one of the matches scheduled for June 28 is Canada vs. South Africa at the Los Angeles Stadium ⁸.
• Round of 16 Schedule: The Round of 16 matches are anticipated to take place between July 4 and July 10 ⁶. There will be a rest day on July 8 ⁶.

Match Examples

While the full detailed schedule for all 104 matches is extensive, some early examples of match-ups and their approximate timings have been shared:

• Brazil vs. Japan: Scheduled for noon local / 1 p.m. ET in Houston ¹.
• Germany vs. Paraguay: Scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET in Foxborough, Massachusetts ¹.
• Netherlands vs. Morocco: Scheduled for 7 p.m. in Guadalupe, Mexico ¹.

Fans can find the complete match schedule, including fixtures, results, and stadium information, on the official FIFA website and other sports news outlets as it becomes available ²³⁵⁷.