World Cup 2026 Schedule: Every Round, Date, and Host City
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026 — 39 days, 104 matches, 48 teams, 16 host cities across three countries. Here's the complete schedule and what to know about every phase.
Tournament dates at a glance
- Opening match: Thursday, June 11, 2026 — Estadio Azteca, Mexico City. Hosts Mexico kick off the tournament.
- Group stage: June 11 – June 27, 2026. 12 groups, 6 matches per group, 72 matches total.
- Round of 32: June 28 – July 3, 2026. The first knockout round, new to the 48-team format.
- Round of 16: July 4 – July 7, 2026.
- Quarterfinals: July 9 – July 11, 2026.
- Semifinals: July 14 – July 15, 2026.
- Third-place match: Saturday, July 18, 2026.
- Final: Sunday, July 19, 2026 — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Host cities (16)
The tournament is shared across three countries:
🇺🇸 United States (11)
- Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- Boston — Gillette Stadium (Foxborough)
- Dallas — AT&T Stadium (Arlington)
- Houston — NRG Stadium
- Kansas City — Arrowhead Stadium
- Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium (Inglewood)
- Miami — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens)
- New York/New Jersey — MetLife Stadium
- Philadelphia — Lincoln Financial Field
- San Francisco Bay Area — Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara)
- Seattle — Lumen Field
🇨🇦 Canada (2)
- Toronto — BMO Field
- Vancouver — BC Place
🇲🇽 Mexico (3)
- Mexico City — Estadio Azteca (opening match)
- Guadalajara — Estadio Akron
- Monterrey — Estadio BBVA
Group stage (June 11 – June 27)
12 groups (A through L) play out over 17 days. Each team plays 3 matches. Top 2 from each group + 8 best 3rd-place finishers move on.
Browse all 12 groups: World Cup 2026 group stage breakdown.
Get your group standings picks in before the first kickoff to lock them.
Round of 32 (June 28 – July 3)
New to the 48-team format. 16 matches between the 24 group winners / runners-up and the 8 wildcard third-place teams. Match slots are determined by FIFA's published bracket structure. Single elimination from here.
Make your wildcards picks after finishing groups so the bracket auto-populates.
Round of 16 → Final
The bracket halves each round: 32 → 16 → 8 → 4 → 2 → champion. The Round of 16, Quarters, and Semis are spread across multiple host cities, with the final at MetLife Stadium in NJ — the largest stadium hosting a World Cup final since 1994 (also held at Rose Bowl, USA).
Key matches to mark on your calendar
- June 11 — Mexico vs (TBD), Mexico City: Opening match. Estadio Azteca becomes the first stadium to host opening matches at three different World Cups (1970, 1986, 2026).
- June 12 — USA vs (TBD): USMNT's home opener will be one of the loudest crowds of the group stage.
- June 13 — Canada vs (TBD): First-ever home World Cup match for Canada.
- June 28 — Round of 32 begins: The new round. Expect at least one massive upset.
- July 19 — Final, MetLife Stadium: Likely the largest TV audience in US soccer history.
Make your picks before kickoff
Our free bracket pool covers every phase. Rank groups, pick wildcards, fill the knockout bracket — all your picks lock at the first match on June 11, 2026 (or earlier if your pool owner sets a custom deadline).