FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule – All 104 Matches, Dates & Venues
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is the biggest sporting event in history — 48 teams, 104 matches, 16 host cities across three countries. This complete guide from EpicSports covers every match, every venue, every date, and how to watch every game live for free.
FIFA World Cup 2026 – Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🗓️ Dates | June 11 – July 19, 2026 |
| 🌍 Host Countries | USA, Canada, Mexico |
| 🏟️ Host Cities | 16 cities across 3 countries |
| ⚽ Teams | 48 (expanded from 32) |
| 🎯 Total Matches | 104 |
| 🏆 Opening Match | June 11, 2026 – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City |
| 🏆 Final | July 19, 2026 – MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey |
| 🆓 Watch Free | EpicSports streaming guide |
World Cup 2026 Format – How It Works
FIFA World Cup 2026 introduces an expanded 48-team format for the first time in World Cup history. Here is how every stage works:
| Stage | Teams | Matches | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Stage | 48 | 72 | 12 groups of 4 teams – top 2 qualify |
| Round of 32 | 32 | 16 | Single-leg knockout |
| Round of 16 | 16 | 8 | Single-leg knockout |
| Quarter-finals | 8 | 4 | Single-leg knockout |
| Semi-finals | 4 | 2 | Single-leg knockout |
| Third Place Play-off | 2 | 1 | Single match |
| Final | 2 | 1 | Single match |
| Total | 48 | 104 |
World Cup 2026 Host Cities & Stadiums
🇺🇸 United States (11 Host Cities)
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| New York / New Jersey ⭐ Final | MetLife Stadium | 82,500 |
| Los Angeles | SoFi Stadium | 70,240 |
| Dallas | AT&T Stadium | 80,000 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | Levi's Stadium | 68,500 |
| Miami | Hard Rock Stadium | 64,767 |
| Seattle | Lumen Field | 69,000 |
| Atlanta | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 71,000 |
| Kansas City | Arrowhead Stadium | 76,416 |
| Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field | 69,796 |
| Houston | NRG Stadium | 72,220 |
| Boston | Gillette Stadium | 65,878 |
🇲🇽 Mexico (3 Host Cities)
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico City ⭐ Opening Match | Estadio Azteca | 87,523 |
| Guadalajara | Estadio Akron | 49,850 |
| Monterrey | Estadio BBVA | 53,500 |
🇨🇦 Canada (2 Host Cities)
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto | BMO Field (expanded) | 45,000 |
| Vancouver | BC Place | 54,500 |
World Cup 2026 Match Schedule – All Stages
📅 Group Stage – June 11 to June 27, 2026
The group stage runs across 17 days with 72 matches played across all 16 host cities. Each of the 12 groups plays 6 matches — every team plays 3 games. The top 2 teams from each group plus the 8 best third-placed teams advance to the Round of 32.
| Group | Teams | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Group A | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Group B | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Group C | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Group D | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Group E | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Group F | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Group G | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Group H | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Group I | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Group J | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Group K | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Group L | 4 teams | 6 matches |
| Total | 48 teams | 72 matches |
📅 Round of 32 – June 29 to July 4, 2026
The Round of 32 is new to the World Cup in 2026. All 32 remaining teams compete in single-leg knockout matches. 16 matches played across 6 days.
| Match | Date | Fixture |
|---|---|---|
| R32 Match 1 | June 29 | Group A Winner vs Best 3rd |
| R32 Match 2 | June 29 | Group B Winner vs Best 3rd |
| R32 Match 3 | June 30 | Group C Winner vs Group D Runner-up |
| R32 Match 4 | June 30 | Group D Winner vs Group C Runner-up |
| R32 Match 5 | July 1 | Group E Winner vs Best 3rd |
| R32 Match 6 | July 1 | Group F Winner vs Best 3rd |
| R32 Match 7 | July 2 | Group G Winner vs Group H Runner-up |
| R32 Match 8 | July 2 | Group H Winner vs Group G Runner-up |
| R32 Match 9 | July 3 | Group I Winner vs Best 3rd |
| R32 Match 10 | July 3 | Group J Winner vs Best 3rd |
| R32 Match 11 | July 4 | Group K Winner vs Group L Runner-up |
| R32 Match 12 | July 4 | Group L Winner vs Group K Runner-up |
| R32 Match 13 | July 4 | Group A Runner-up vs Best 3rd |
| R32 Match 14 | July 4 | Group B Runner-up vs Best 3rd |
| R32 Match 15 | July 4 | Group E Runner-up vs Best 3rd |
| R32 Match 16 | July 4 | Group F Runner-up vs Best 3rd |
📅 Round of 16 – July 6 to July 9, 2026
16 teams remain. 8 knockout matches played over 4 days to determine the quarter-finalists.
| Match | Date |
|---|---|
| Round of 16 Match 1 | July 6, 2026 |
| Round of 16 Match 2 | July 6, 2026 |
| Round of 16 Match 3 | July 7, 2026 |
| Round of 16 Match 4 | July 7, 2026 |
| Round of 16 Match 5 | July 8, 2026 |
| Round of 16 Match 6 | July 8, 2026 |
| Round of 16 Match 7 | July 9, 2026 |
| Round of 16 Match 8 | July 9, 2026 |
📅 Quarter-finals – July 11 & July 12, 2026
The last 8 teams compete in 4 quarter-final matches to earn a place in the World Cup semi-finals.
| Match | Date |
|---|---|
| Quarter-final 1 | July 11, 2026 |
| Quarter-final 2 | July 11, 2026 |
| Quarter-final 3 | July 12, 2026 |
| Quarter-final 4 | July 12, 2026 |
📅 Semi-finals – July 14 & July 15, 2026
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-final 1 | July 14, 2026 | AT&T Stadium, Dallas |
| Semi-final 2 | July 15, 2026 | MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey |
📅 Third Place Play-off – July 18, 2026
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Third Place Play-off | July 18, 2026 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami |
🏆 FIFA World Cup 2026 Final – July 19, 2026
| Match | Date | Venue | Kickoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup Final | July 19, 2026 | MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey | TBC |
World Cup 2026 Teams – All 48 Qualified Nations
🌍 Africa (CAF) – 9 Teams
Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria, Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Tunisia
🌏 Asia (AFC) – 8 Teams
Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Australia, Qatar, Jordan, Iraq
🌎 South America (CONMEBOL) – 6 Teams
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Ecuador, Venezuela
🌎 North & Central America (CONCACAF) – 6 Teams
USA (host), Mexico (host), Canada (host), Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica
🌍 Europe (UEFA) – 16 Teams
France, England, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Croatia, Switzerland, Denmark, Poland, Austria, Scotland, Turkey, Serbia
🌏 Oceania (OFC) – 1 Team
New Zealand
🌍 Inter-confederation Playoffs – 2 Teams
To be confirmed
How to Watch World Cup 2026 Live Free – By Country
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
ITV and BBC share free-to-air rights for the World Cup in the UK. Both channels stream matches free online via ITVX and BBC iPlayer — no subscription required.
🇺🇸 United States
World Cup 2026 in the USA is broadcast on Fox Sports (English) and Telemundo (Spanish). Fox Sports streams are available via the Fox Sports app and foxsports.com.
🇮🇳 India
World Cup 2026 in India is broadcast on Sports18 and streamed on JioCinema — free for Indian users.
🇦🇺 Australia
World Cup 2026 in Australia is broadcast free on SBS, available via the SBS On Demand app and website.
🇨🇦 Canada
World Cup 2026 in Canada is broadcast on CTV and TSN. CTV streams matches free at ctv.ca.
🇲🇽 Mexico
World Cup 2026 in Mexico — as a host nation — is broadcast free on Televisa and TV Azteca.
🌍 All Other Countries
Visit EpicSports for a complete country-by-country free streaming guide updated before every World Cup 2026 match.
World Cup 2026 – Ones to Watch
- 🇦🇷 Argentina — Defending champions led by Lionel Messi (if fit)
- 🇫🇷 France — Kylian Mbappé leads Les Bleus as serious title contenders
- 🇧🇷 Brazil — Five-time champions hunting for a sixth World Cup title
- 🏴 England — Can England finally end 60 years of hurt?
- 🇵🇹 Portugal — Cristiano Ronaldo's likely final World Cup appearance
- 🇺🇸 USA — Home nation with young talent and a point to prove
- 🇲🇽 Mexico — Playing at home in the iconic Estadio Azteca
- 🇲🇦 Morocco — Africa's best after their 2022 semi-final run
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the World Cup 2026 start?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts on June 11, 2026 with the opening match at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
When is the World Cup 2026 Final?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final takes place on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA.
How many matches are in World Cup 2026?
There are 104 matches in total at FIFA World Cup 2026 — 72 group stage matches and 32 knockout stage matches.
How many teams are in World Cup 2026?
48 teams will compete in FIFA World Cup 2026, up from 32 teams in previous tournaments.
Where is World Cup 2026 hosted?
FIFA World Cup 2026 is hosted across three countries — the United States (11 cities), Mexico (3 cities), and Canada (2 cities) — across 16 venues in total.
How can I watch World Cup 2026 for free?
Free streaming options depend on your country. In the UK, BBC and ITV broadcast matches free. In India, JioCinema streams free. In Australia, SBS is free. Visit EpicSports for a complete free streaming guide for your country — updated before every match.
Which stadium hosts the World Cup 2026 Final?
The World Cup 2026 Final will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (New York/New Jersey), with a capacity of 82,500.
What is the biggest game in World Cup 2026?
Every match is must-watch, but the most anticipated fixtures include USA vs Mexico (if they meet), Argentina vs Brazil, England vs France, and of course the World Cup Final on July 19, 2026.
Watch Every World Cup 2026 Match Live on EpicSports
EpicSports will publish a free streaming guide for every single one of the 104 World Cup 2026 matches — updated daily with kickoff times, venue details, and how to watch free in your country.
Bookmark epicsports.app now and never miss a World Cup 2026 match.