📅 FIFA World Cup 2026 — Complete Match Schedule
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026 — spanning 39 days across 16 host cities in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Here is the complete schedule overview:
🗓️ Key Dates — FIFA 2026
- ⚽ Opening Match: June 11, 2026 — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami 🇺🇸
- 🗂️ Group Stage: June 11 – June 29, 2026
- ⚡ Round of 32: July 1 – July 6, 2026
- ⚡ Round of 16: July 8 – July 11, 2026
- 🏆 Quarter-finals: July 13 – July 14, 2026
- 🏆 Semi-finals: July 16 – July 17, 2026
- 🥉 Third Place: July 18, 2026
- 🏆 FINAL: July 19, 2026 — MetLife Stadium, New York 🇺🇸
⏰ IST Timings for Indian Fans — FIFA 2026
All FIFA 2026 matches are played in North America — meaning Indian fans need to stay up late or wake up very early. Here's the typical kick-off timing guide in India Standard Time (IST, UTC+5:30):
| Local Time | City | IST | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 Noon | USA (Eastern) | 10:30 PM IST | Afternoon matches |
| 3:00 PM | USA (Eastern) | 1:30 AM IST | Afternoon matches |
| 6:00 PM | USA (Eastern) | 4:30 AM IST | Evening matches |
| 9:00 PM | USA (Eastern) | 7:30 AM IST | Night matches (rare) |
| Mexico City | CDT (-5 IST) | Similar to USA Eastern | Mexico matches |
| Vancouver | PDT (-12:30 IST) | ~2:30–6:30 AM IST | Canada West Coast |
🗂️ Group Stage Schedule Overview
The group stage runs from June 11 to June 29. With 12 groups of 4 teams each, there are 48 group stage matches in total. Each team plays 3 matches in the group stage. The final round of group matches are played simultaneously to ensure fairness.
| Phase | Dates | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Group Stage | Jun 11 – Jun 29 | 48 |
| Round of 32 | Jul 1 – Jul 6 | 16 |
| Round of 16 | Jul 8 – Jul 11 | 8 |
| Quarter-finals | Jul 13–14 | 4 |
| Semi-finals | Jul 16–17 | 2 |
| 3rd Place | Jul 18 | 1 |
| FINAL | Jul 19 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 39 days | 104 |
🏆 The 2026 World Cup Final
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final takes place on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey — just outside New York City. With a capacity of 82,500, MetLife is the largest stadium at the 2026 World Cup and home to both the New York Giants and New York Jets NFL teams.