⚽FIFA World Cup 2026 — Schedule, Groups, Stadiums & Where to Watch

The 2026 FIFA World Cup starts on Thursday, June 11, 2026, with the opening match hosted in Mexico City. The group stage runs from June 11 to June 26, 2026, with the final scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA. The full 104-match schedule covers 39 tournament days.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will be held on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA — the same venue that hosted the 2016 Copa America Centenario final. MetLife is a 82,500-seat NFL stadium that is home to the New York Giants and New York Jets, and is one of the 16 host venues for the 2026 tournament.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 national teams (expanded from 32 in 2022), playing a record 104 matches across 16 host cities. The 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of 4 teams each (Groups A through L). The top two teams from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance to a new Round of 32, replacing the old Round of 16 format.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first tournament co-hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Of the 16 host cities, 11 are in the United States, 2 are in Canada (Toronto and Vancouver), and 3 are in Mexico (Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey). Matches will be played in iconic venues including MetLife Stadium, SoFi Stadium, AT&T Stadium, Rose Bowl, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and BMO Field.

Yes. FOX Sports holds the English-language broadcast rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, covering all 104 matches across FOX and FS1. Telemundo (NBCUniversal) holds the Spanish-language US rights and will broadcast every match on Telemundo, Universo, and the Peacock streaming platform. Both deals were confirmed in February 2026.

Yes. The BBC and ITV will share live coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United Kingdom, broadcasting every match free-to-air on terrestrial television. This continues the long-standing tradition of BBC and ITV sharing major tournament rights, with the BBC typically taking the larger share of group-stage matches and both channels airing the knockout rounds and final.

In the USA, all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup will air on FOX (English) and Telemundo (Spanish). FOX matches are free over-the-air with a digital antenna, and Telemundo is also free over-the-air. Streaming is available on the FOX Sports app and Peacock. Global Free TV's /countries/us directory lists free US sports channels that may carry tournament highlights, analysis, and ancillary coverage.

In Mexico, all 104 matches will air on TelevisaUnivision's free-to-air networks: Canal 5, TUDN, and Las Estrellas. With three host cities (Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey) and the opening match in Mexico City, Mexican audiences will have the most extensive free-to-air coverage in the host region. Global Free TV's /countries/mexico directory lists free Mexican sports channels with tournament coverage.

In the UK, the BBC and ITV share coverage of all 104 matches free-to-air. BBC iPlayer and ITVX both offer free live streaming, though both require a UK TV Licence. Highlights, analysis, and pre-match shows air on BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, and ITV4. Global Free TV's /countries/united-kingdom directory lists free UK sports channels with World Cup content.

In Brazil, TV Globo holds the broadcast rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with matches airing on Globo (open-to-air), SporTV (pay TV), and Globoplay (streaming). Globo has broadcast every World Cup since 1970 and is expected to provide extensive free-to-air coverage of Brazilian national team matches. Global Free TV's /countries/brazil directory lists free Brazilian sports channels with tournament content.