Lionel Messi and Argentina will look to successfully defend the title they won four years ago in Qatar [File: Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
From must-watch games to the grand finale, here’s a list of all the important dates on the 2026 World Cup schedule.
As the 39-day tournament kicks off across the United States, Canada and Mexico, Al Jazeera outlines the key dates and matches for you:
June 11: Mexico vs South Africa – opening game of the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City
June 12: Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, USA vs Paraguay – opening matches of the other cohosts
June 14: Germany vs Curacao – Curacao become the smallest nation to play at a World Cup
June 15: Spain vs Cape Verde – Cape Verde make their World Cup debut
June 16: Argentina vs Algeria, Austria vs Jordan – Argentina begin their title defence, and Lionel Messi starts his sixth World Cup campaign; Jordan play their first World Cup match
June 17: Portugal vs Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan vs Colombia – Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo makes his sixth World Cup appearance; Uzbekistan play at a World Cup for the first time
June 27: Group stage ends
From left Lionel Messi Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo are all set to steal the World Cup spotlight again File Getty Images
June 28-July 3: round of 32
July 4-7: round of 16
July 9-11: quarterfinals
July 14-15: semifinals
July 18: bronze match
July 19: World Cup final
The best group-stage World Cup matches:
In order of their dates
June 13: Brazil vs Morocco (Group C)
June 14: Netherlands vs Japan (Group F)
June 16: France vs Senegal (Group I)
June 17: England vs Croatia (Group L)
June 18: Mexico vs South Korea (Group A)
June 20: Germany vs Ivory Coast (Group E)
June 20: Netherlands vs Sweden (Group F)
June 22: Norway vs Senegal (Group I)
June 22: Argentina vs Austria (Group J)
June 24: South Africa vs South Korea (Group A)
June 25: Japan vs Sweden (Group F)
June 26: Norway vs France (Group I)
June 26: Uruguay vs Spain (Group H)
June 27: Colombia vs Portugal (Group K)Neymar is back in Brazils squad as they chase what would be a record extending sixth World Cup Ricardo MoraesReutersThe FIFA World Cup begins on June 11. You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated World Cup 2026 page with all the latest news, match build-up and live text commentary and keep up to date with group standings, real-time match results and schedules.
