2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule Preview: Key Dates, Host Openers & Venues; Full Fixtures PDF Tomorrow
The 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule preview is updated for you here. The groups are now set, and while full match pairings, kickoff times, and venues drop (December 6 at 12:00 PM ET), here’s what we know right now: the tournament timeline, host nation openers, knockout structure, and all 16 stadiums. The 48-team format means 104 matches from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across the US, Canada, and Mexico. It’s going to be awesome for soccer/football fans.
Download the Preview Printables (Full Version Tomorrow)
- One-Page Schedule Overview PDF – Key dates + openers (update-ready). → [Current schedule, updates coming]
- Host Cities & Venues Guide PDF – All stadiums with capacities. → [Download PDF]
- Knockout Bracket Preview PDF – Fixed dates/venues + group placeholders. → [Download PDF]
Bookmark this page. We’ll swap in the complete schedule and updated PDFs as soon as FIFA releases them.
2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule
| Phase | Dates | Notes |
| Group Stage | June 11 – June 27, 2026 | 72 matches; all groups finish simultaneously on June 27. |
| Round of 32 | June 28 – July 3, 2026 | 16 matches; top 2 per group + 8 best 3rd-placers advance. |
| Round of 16 | July 4 – July 7, 2026 | 8 matches. |
| Quarterfinals | July 9 – July 10, 2026 | 4 matches. |
| Semifinals | July 14 – July 15, 2026 | 2 matches (Atlanta & Dallas venues). |
| Third-Place Match | July 18, 2026 | Miami venue. |
| Final | July 19, 2026 | 3:00 PM ET kickoff at MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ). |
Confirmed Host Nation Openers (From Today’s Draw)
These kick off the tournament; full times and additional group games tomorrow. Team Canada, Team Mexico, and Team USA fans can go ahead and start making their plans for how they want to checkout the opening matches of the 2026 World Cup now.
| Date | Match | Venue | Local Time (ET) | Group |
| June 11 | Mexico vs. South Africa | Estadio Azteca (Mexico City) | 5:00 PM local (6:00 PM) | A |
| June 12 | Canada vs. CONMEBOL Playoff Winner | BMO Field (Toronto) | TBD | B |
| June 12 | USA vs. Australia | SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles) | TBD | D |
2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage Matchday Windows
With 12 groups of 4, each plays 3 matchdays (72 total games). Exact dates per group TBD tomorrow, but the structure:
- Matchday 1: June 11–15, 2026 (staggered starts).
- Matchday 2: June 18–21, 2026.
- Matchday 3: June 24–27, 2026 (all groups end same day for fairness).
Example: Group A (Mexico, Japan, South Africa, CONCACAF Playoff) – Mexico opener June 11; other 3 games spread across the windows.
All 16 World Cup 2026 Host Cities & Stadiums
Venues are pre-assigned to groups (e.g., Group A at Estadio Azteca/Akron). Full match slots tomorrow.
| City/Area | Stadium | Capacity | Country | Key Notes |
| Atlanta | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 71,000 | USA | Semi-final host. |
| Boston (Foxborough) | Gillette Stadium | 65,000 | USA | – |
| Dallas (Arlington) | AT&T Stadium | 80,000 | USA | Semi-final host. |
| Guadalajara (Zapopan) | Estadio Akron | 48,000 | Mexico | Group stage only. |
| Houston | NRG Stadium | 72,000 | USA | – |
| Kansas City | Arrowhead Stadium | 76,000 | USA | – |
| Los Angeles (Inglewood) | SoFi Stadium | 70,000 | USA | USA opener. |
| Mexico City | Estadio Azteca | 87,000 | Mexico | Opener; 3rd World Cup edition. |
| Miami (Miami Gardens) | Hard Rock Stadium | 65,000 | USA | Third-place match. |
| Monterrey | Estadio BBVA | 53,000 | Mexico | – |
| New York/New Jersey | MetLife Stadium | 82,500 | USA | Final. |
| Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field | 69,000 | USA | – |
| San Francisco (Santa Clara) | Levi’s Stadium | 68,000 | USA | – |
| Seattle | Lumen Field | 69,000 | USA | – |
| Toronto | BMO Field (expanded) | 40,000 | Canada | Canada opener. |
| Vancouver | BC Place | 54,000 | Canada | – |
What’s Next for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule?
Tomorrow’s FIFA broadcast locks in everything: exact times (likely 12 PM, 3 PM, 6 PM, 9 PM ET slots), full group fixtures (e.g., Brazil vs. Morocco date/venue), and knockout paths. We’ll update this page the complete list and refreshed PDFs. In the meantime, check our 2026 World Cup Groups Printable (link) and Blank Bracket (link) to start planning.
