FIFA World Cup 2026 Begins On June 11: Complete Schedule, Historic Firsts and Everything You Need to Know
By Bikramjeet Singh, Patiala
USA/Canada/Mexico, June 10, 2026: The wait is finally over for football fans across the globe as the FIFA World Cup 2026 gets underway on June 11 in North America. Hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, the tournament will run until July 19 and promises to be the biggest and most ambitious World Cup in history.
From Lionel Messi’s title defence with Argentina to Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest for football’s ultimate prize, the world’s attention will be fixed on the sport’s biggest stage over the next six weeks.
This edition will not only feature more teams and more matches than ever before but will also introduce several nations making their World Cup debut.
Biggest World Cup Ever
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be remembered as a landmark tournament for several reasons.
For the first time in history, 48 teams will compete instead of 32. The tournament will feature a record 104 matches played across 16 cities in three host countries — the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Mexico has also created history by becoming the first country to host the FIFA World Cup three times after previously staging the tournament in 1970 and 1986.
The 48 teams have been divided into 12 groups, each containing four teams.
New Nations on the Biggest Stage
Several countries will make their FIFA World Cup debut this year.
Among the first-time participants are:
- Jordan
- Uzbekistan
- Curacao
- Cape Verde
Their qualification underlines football’s growing global reach and the opportunities created by the expanded format.
Italy Misses Out Again
One of the biggest stories of the qualification campaign was the failure of four-time champions Italy to qualify.
The Azzurri have now missed three consecutive FIFA World Cups after being eliminated in the play-offs, extending one of the most surprising runs in international football.
World Cup History in Numbers
The FIFA World Cup has come a long way since its inaugural edition in 1930.
- The first World Cup featured only 13 teams.
- The 2026 tournament will feature 48 teams.
- European nations have won the trophy 12 times.
- South American nations have won it 10 times.
Most Successful Nations
?? Brazil – 5 titles
?? Germany – 4 titles
?? Italy – 4 titles
?? Argentina – 3 titles (Defending Champions)
Other Major Records
- Germany has reached the semi-finals a record 13 times.
- The Netherlands have finished runners-up three times but have never won the World Cup.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage Schedule
Group A
June 11
- Mexico vs South Africa – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- South Korea vs Czechia – Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
June 18
- Czechia vs South Africa – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Mexico vs South Korea – Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
June 24
- Czechia vs Mexico – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- South Africa vs South Korea – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
Group B
June 12
- Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina – Toronto
- Qatar vs Switzerland – San Francisco Bay Area
June 18
- Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina – Los Angeles
- Canada vs Qatar – Vancouver
June 24
- Switzerland vs Canada – Vancouver
- Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar – Seattle
Group C
June 13
- Brazil vs Morocco – New York/New Jersey
- Haiti vs Scotland – Boston
June 19
- Scotland vs Morocco – Boston
- Brazil vs Haiti – Philadelphia
June 24
- Scotland vs Brazil – Miami
- Morocco vs Haiti – Atlanta
Group D
June 12
- USA vs Paraguay – Los Angeles
June 13
- Australia vs Turkiye – Vancouver
June 19
- USA vs Australia – Seattle
- Turkiye vs Paraguay – San Francisco Bay Area
June 25
- Turkiye vs USA – Los Angeles
- Paraguay vs Australia – San Francisco Bay Area
Group E
June 14
- Germany vs Curacao – Houston
- Ivory Coast vs Ecuador – Philadelphia
June 20
- Germany vs Ivory Coast – Toronto
- Ecuador vs Curacao – Kansas City
June 25
- Ecuador vs Germany – New York/New Jersey
- Curacao vs Ivory Coast – Philadelphia
Group F
June 14
- Netherlands vs Japan – Dallas
- Sweden vs Tunisia – Monterrey
June 20
- Netherlands vs Sweden – Houston
- Tunisia vs Japan – Monterrey
June 25
- Japan vs Sweden – Dallas
- Tunisia vs Netherlands – Kansas City
Group G
June 15
- Iran vs New Zealand – Los Angeles
- Belgium vs Egypt – Seattle
June 21
- Belgium vs Iran – Los Angeles
- New Zealand vs Egypt – Vancouver
June 26
- Egypt vs Iran – Seattle
- New Zealand vs Belgium – Vancouver
Group H
June 15
- Spain vs Cape Verde – Atlanta
- Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay – Miami
June 21
- Spain vs Saudi Arabia – Atlanta
- Uruguay vs Cape Verde – Miami
June 26
- Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia – Houston
- Uruguay vs Spain – Guadalajara
Group I
June 16
- France vs Senegal – New York/New Jersey
- Iraq vs Norway – Boston
June 22
- France vs Iraq – Philadelphia
- Norway vs Senegal – New York/New Jersey
June 26
- Norway vs France – Boston
- Senegal vs Iraq – Toronto
Group J
June 16
- Argentina vs Algeria – Kansas City
- Austria vs Jordan – San Francisco Bay Area
June 22
- Argentina vs Austria – Dallas
- Jordan vs Algeria – San Francisco Bay Area
June 27
- Algeria vs Austria – Kansas City
- Jordan vs Argentina – Dallas
Group K
June 17
- Portugal vs DR Congo – Houston
- Uzbekistan vs Colombia – Mexico City
June 23
- Portugal vs Uzbekistan – Houston
- Colombia vs DR Congo – Guadalajara
June 27
- Colombia vs Portugal – Miami
- DR Congo vs Uzbekistan – Atlanta
Group L
June 17
- England vs Croatia – Dallas
- Ghana vs Panama – Toronto
June 23
- England vs Ghana – Boston
- Panama vs Croatia – Toronto
June 27
- Panama vs England – New York/New Jersey
- Croatia vs Ghana – Philadelphia
Knockout Stage Schedule
Round of 32
June 28 – July 3
Round of 16
July 4 – July 7
Quarter-finals
- July 9 – Boston
- July 10 – Los Angeles
- July 11 – Miami
- July 11 – Kansas City
Semi-finals
- July 14 – Dallas
- July 15 – Atlanta
Third-Place Match
July 18 – Miami
FIFA World Cup 2026 Final
July 19, 2026
MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
The final will bring down the curtain on a historic tournament that is expected to break attendance, viewership and commercial records. With football giants, debutants and some of the game’s greatest stars set to compete, FIFA World Cup 2026 promises to be one of the most memorable editions in the sport’s history.