2026 World Cup Dates

2026 World Cup Dates | Full Schedule Key Dates & Kickoff Times (ET)

⏰ 2026 World Cup Dates Full Calendar

June 11 – July 19, 2026 · USA / Canada / Mexico | 48 Teams · 104 Matches

📍 Opening Match: June 11 (local) | 🏆 Final: July 19 (local)
🎤

June 11

Opening Ceremony & Kickoff
Estadio Azteca · Mexico City
Mexico vs South Africa (8:00 PM ET)
🏁

July 19

World Cup Final
MetLife Stadium · East Rutherford, NJ
Championship match (7:00 PM ET)
📆

June 12 – June 27

Group Stage
48 teams split into 12 groups, round-robin action daily.
⚡

June 30 – July 3

Round of 32 (Last 32 → 16)
Single-elimination begins, knockout intensity rises.
🏅

July 6 – July 9

Round of 16
Heavyweight clashes, race to quarterfinals.
🥇

July 11 – July 12

Quarter-finals
Last eight battle for semifinal spots.
✈️

July 14 – July 15

Semi-finals
AT&T Stadium (Dallas) & MetLife Stadium (NY/NJ)
🥉

July 18

Third-Place Match
Hard Rock Stadium · Miami Gardens, FL (4:00 PM ET)
📌 Full Tournament Timeline (US Local Dates / ET)
🏟️ Group Stage
June 11 – June 27
12 groups of 4 teams, 48 matches. Top two from each group + 8 best third-placed teams advance to Round of 32.
⚔️ Round of 32
June 30 – July 3
Knockout starts, 32 teams reduced to 16. Multiple games per day.
🔥 Round of 16
July 6 – July 9
8 decisive matches, title contenders collide.
💪 Quarter-finals
July 11 – July 12
Final four spots on the line.
🌍 Semi-finals
July 14 & July 15 (local)
Dallas (AT&T Stadium) & East Rutherford (MetLife) – road to the final.
🥉 Third-Place Match
July 18
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami – honors at stake.
🏆 Final
July 19
MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ) – World Champions crowned.

⏳ Time Zone Reference
The tournament spans multiple North American time zones (ET / CT / MT / PT). All times on this page are shown in Eastern Time (ET) — the local time in New York, Atlanta, Miami, and other East Coast venues.
🕒 For example: July 19 Final at 7:00 PM ET = July 20 01:00 AM CEST (Central European Summer Time) / July 20 07:00 AM CST (China).

✅ This page covers every key date of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Opening match, group stage, all knockout rounds, third-place match, and the Final.
📅 Match times may be subject to slight adjustments based on broadcast scheduling. Refer to FIFA official channels for the latest updates. Full 104-match schedule available in group-stage pages.
World Cup Latest News