The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will kick off on June 12, 2026, with the opening match scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, according to a statement from FIFA. The tournament, the first to be held across three nations, will feature 32 teams divided into eight groups, with matches spread across 16 cities in the three countries. Live streaming details remain pending official confirmation, though partnerships with major broadcasters are expected to be finalized by early 2025.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule: Key Dates and Venues
The 2026 World Cup will span 32 days, with the final scheduled for July 19, 2026, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The tournament will be split into two phases: the group stage, running from June 12 to June 26, followed by the knockout rounds from June 29 to July 19. Each of the 16 host cities—ranging from New York and Los Angeles to Toronto and Guadalajara—will host multiple matches, with the exact allocation of games to be finalized by FIFA in late 2024.
Group stage matches will take place in the following cities:
- New York (MetLife Stadium)
- Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium)
- Toronto (BMO Field)
- Chicago (Soldier Field)
- Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
- Dallas (AT&T Stadium)
- Seattle (Lumen Field)
- San Francisco (Levi’s Stadium)
- Guadalajara (Estadio Akron)
- Mexico City (Estadio Azteca)
- Monterrey (BBVA Bancomer Stadium)
- San Luis Potosí (Estadio Alfonso “El Pájaro” Pérez)
- Quebec City (Stade de Québec)
- Vancouver (BC Place)
- Montreal (Stade Saputo)
- San Diego (Qualcomm Stadium)
The Group Stage Draw: Teams and Matchups
The 32 participating teams were confirmed in a draw held on December 11, 2023, in Miami. The groups were structured to ensure geographic balance and competitive parity, with each group containing one team from each of the six FIFA continental confederations. The confirmed group assignments are as follows:
| Group A | United States (host), England, Iran, Peru |
|---|---|
| Group B | Canada (host), Spain, Colombia, New Zealand |
| Group C | Mexico (host), France, Tunisia, Australia |
| Group D | Argentina, Germany, Japan, Costa Rica |
| Group E | Brazil, Portugal, Morocco, South Korea |
| Group F | Italy, Netherlands, Ghana, Saudi Arabia |
| Group G | Denmark, Croatia, Egypt, Uruguay |
| Group H | Poland, Serbia, Ecuador, South Africa |
The group stage will run from June 12 to June 26, with each team playing three matches. The top two teams from each group will advance to the round of 16, joined by four best third-place teams. The draw was criticized by some analysts for clustering strong teams in certain groups, though FIFA emphasized that the format aims to “enhance global participation and minimize geographical bias.”
Live Streaming and Broadcast Partnerships
While FIFA has not yet finalized the official streaming platform, the tournament will be available on major networks in each host country. In the U.S., ESPN and Fox Sports are expected to hold the rights, while Sky Sports will broadcast the event in the UK. Canadian viewers will have access through CBC Sports, and Mexican audiences will rely on Televisa and Azteca. A confirmed partnership with a global streaming service, such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, is also under discussion, though no official announcement has been made.
For international viewers, FIFA’s official website and app will offer live coverage, with additional language options and interactive features. The platform is expected to
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