FIFA World Cup Games: 2026 Schedule, Fixtures & Results

Three nations, 48 teams, and 104 matches across North America: the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest ever staged. With qualification completed on March 31, 2026, after 899 matches over 937 days, the tournament bracket is locked. This page tracks every game, every group, and every result you need to follow the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Dates: June 11 to July 19, 2026 · Teams: 48 · Matches: 104 · Host Countries: Canada, Mexico, USA · Host Cities: 16

Key tournament parameters at a glance:

FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule PDF Download

The complete 104-game schedule became available on FIFA.com following the conclusion of European playoff qualifying on March 31, 2026. This is the authoritative source for all match dates, venues, and kickoff times. Visitors to the official site can filter by date, stadium, or participating team to build a personalized viewing plan.

Official schedule sources

FIFA publishes the official match schedule on its dedicated 2026 World Cup hub. The schedule includes venue details, exact kickoff times by time zone, and links to ticket information. Wikipedia maintains a comprehensive match-by-match breakdown organized by matchday and group, useful for quick reference.

Download links and formats

For offline access, the full tournament bracket and match list are available as downloadable PDFs from FIFA’s official digital platforms. Third-party sports aggregators also offer calendar integrations that sync fixtures directly to personal devices.

The implication: with 16 host cities spread across three countries and six time zones, fans planning cross-country trips should cross-reference the official schedule against their preferred team’s group assignments before booking travel.

FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers table

The qualification process spanned nearly three years, beginning with CONMEBOL’s opening matches on September 7, 2023, and concluding with the European playoff finals on March 31, 2026. Across 899 qualifying matches over 937 days, the final 48 spots were filled through a combination of automatic berths and playoff rounds.

Current standings by confederation

Europe secured 12 direct qualification spots, with 4 more determined through a dramatic playoff path. Bosnia and Herzegovina clinched their place by defeating Italy 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw on March 31, 2026, according to UEFA’s official results. Sweden, Türkiye, and Czechia also qualified through the playoffs, overcoming Poland, Kosovo, and Denmark respectively.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) delivered 8 automatic qualifiers: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea. Four nations—Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan—qualified for the first time in their histories. Curaçao’s qualification marks the smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup.

Qualified teams list

The hosts—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—automatically qualified as tournament co-hosts. The 2022 hosts, Qatar, also secured direct qualification for their second consecutive appearance. Full qualification details are available through ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of the process.

The pattern: qualification paths grew longer and more complex with the expansion to 48 teams, but the playoff routes remain the most dramatic chapter. Bosnia’s penalty shootout victory over Italy in March 2026 delivered one of the qualifying campaign’s most memorable moments.

FIFA World Cup games TODAY

Since the main tournament does not begin until June 11, 2026, there are no FIFA World Cup 2026 games taking place today. However, the finalization of the complete schedule on FIFA.com means fans can now track live qualifying results from ongoing interconfederation playoffs and prepare for the tournament proper.

Live scores and results

FIFA’s official scores page aggregates real-time results from all World Cup-related matches, including the remaining intercontinental playoff fixtures that determined the final qualification spots. The platform covers matches across all six confederations and provides historical data for reference.

Upcoming fixtures today

For fans seeking live football action ahead of the World Cup, FIFA’s platform provides access to ongoing qualifying competitions from youth tournaments and friendlies. The main tournament schedule kicks off with Mexico facing South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11, 2026, followed by matches across all three host nations.

The catch: unlike previous editions where fans could follow live World Cup qualification matches throughout the tournament year, the 2026 qualification process concluded on March 31, 2026. The gap between now and June 11 is a planning period, not a competitive one.

World Cup 2026 groups

The expansion to 48 teams introduces a new group stage structure: 12 groups of 4 teams each, with the top 2 finishers from each group advancing alongside the 8 best third-place teams into a 32-team knockout bracket. This format replaces the previous 32-team, 8-group structure used from 1998 through 2022.

Group stage format

Each team plays three group stage matches over approximately two weeks. The matchday schedule runs from June 11 through July 10, 2026, with Matchday 1 spanning June 11–17, Matchday 2 from June 18–23, and Matchday 3 concluding on June 27. The Round of 32 begins on June 28, with the knockout phase running through the final on July 19.

The schedule was finalized following the conclusion of European playoff qualifying on March 31, 2026, when Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Türkiye, and Czechia secured the final European spots. FIFA’s official schedule now reflects confirmed match pairings for all 48 teams across the 12 groups.

Draw details

The final draw took place on December 5, 2025, determining group assignments for all qualified teams. The draw ceremony established the composition of Groups A through L, setting the framework for the tournament bracket. Group assignments are available through FIFA’s official records and verified sports publications.

What this means: the three host nations—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—received automatic qualification and were seeded to avoid facing each other in the group stage, though their precise group assignments followed the standard draw procedure.

The implication: with the draw complete and group assignments confirmed, fans can now plan their tournament itineraries around specific fixtures and venues. The three-host format means no team plays all matches in one country.

FIFA World Cup 2026 brackets

The expanded 48-team format creates a knockout bracket of 32 teams, up from 16 in the previous format. This means more nations have a path to the elimination rounds, but the competition intensifies from the Round of 32 onward. The bracket structure ensures balanced progression through the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.

Knockout stage structure

The Round of 32 runs from June 28 through July 3, 2026, followed by the Round of 16 from July 4–7. Quarterfinals are scheduled for July 9–11, with the semifinals set for July 14–15. The third-place playoff precedes the final, which takes place on July 19, 2026.

Specific knockout fixtures will be confirmed following the conclusion of group stage matches, with matchups determined by group results. The Los Angeles Host Committee has confirmed that SoFi Stadium will host key group stage matches and knockout games for teams including the United States, Switzerland, and Belgium.

Standings integration

FIFA’s scores platform integrates live standings with bracket progression, allowing fans to track their team’s path through the tournament as results come in. The standings update in real time, adjusting bracket projections based on match outcomes.

The upshot: with 104 total matches across 16 venues, the 2026 World Cup offers unprecedented access to live football across North America. For fans, the challenge shifts from finding tickets to managing logistics across three countries and multiple time zones.

Summary

The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks a historic expansion—48 teams, three host nations, and 104 matches across North America. With qualification closed on March 31, 2026, after 899 qualifying games over nearly three years, the tournament structure is locked. First-time qualifiers Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan bring fresh blood to a field that includes traditional powers and the three hosts. The bracket begins June 11 in Mexico City and concludes July 19 with the final. For fans, the wait until kickoff is now measured in weeks, not months—and the only question left is which of the 48 teams will lift the trophy in New Jersey.