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FIFA Unveils 2026 World Cup Match Calendar Across 16 North-American Venues
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Published in Sports and Competition on Wednesday, December 3rd 2025 at 18:10 GMT by Sporting News- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
World Cup 2026: FIFA Unveils the Full Match Calendar for North‑American 48‑Team Showdown
On Thursday, July 4 2024, the world’s governing body for soccer, FIFA, finally released the long‑awaited match schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After months of speculation, logistical negotiations, and the formal selection of the United States, Canada, and Mexico as joint hosts, the calendar is now in hand. For fans, the official schedule lays out every opening bell, every group clash, and every knockout moment that will take place across 16 stadiums in the three host nations. Below is a comprehensive rundown of what the Sporting News article reported, with additional context pulled from FIFA’s own release and related sources.
1. 48 Teams, 80 Matches, 16 Venues
Expansion Explained
The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 national teams—a historic expansion from the previous 32‑team format that has been in place since 1998. This change adds an extra 16 matches, giving us a total of 80 games, 60 of which are in the group stage and 20 in the knockout phase. The new format introduces 12 groups of four teams each, with the top two from every group moving on to a 32‑team knockout bracket.
Host Venues
All 16 matches in the group stage will be hosted in 16 selected stadiums:
| Host City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| East Rutherford, NJ (USA) | MetLife Stadium | 82,500 |
| Los Angeles, CA (USA) | SoFi Stadium | 70,000 |
| Denver, CO (USA) | Empower Field at Mile High | 71,200 |
| Houston, TX (USA) | NRG Stadium | 71,760 |
| Atlanta, GA (USA) | Mercedes‑Benz Stadium (Atlanta) | 42,000 |
| Chicago, IL (USA) | Soldier Field | 61,500 |
| Toronto, ON (Canada) | BMO Field | 30,000 |
| Vancouver, BC (Canada) | BC Place | 55,000 |
| Montreal, QC (Canada) | Olympic Stadium | 65,000 |
| Toronto, ON (Canada) | Lamport Stadium (pre‑finals) | 14,000 |
| Mexico City, CDMX (Mexico) | Estadio Azteca | 87,523 |
| Guadalajara, JAL (Mexico) | Estadio Akron | 46,000 |
| Monterrey, NL (Mexico) | Estadio BBVA | 47,000 |
| Monterrey, NL (Mexico) | Estadio BBVA (pre‑finals) | 47,000 |
| Mexico City, CDMX (Mexico) | Estadio Azteca (pre‑finals) | 87,523 |
| Mexico City, CDMX (Mexico) | Estadio Azteca (final) | 87,523 |
The final will be played at MetLife Stadium, a venue that has become a symbolic hub for North American football and has already hosted the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup final.
2. Tournament Dates & Time‑Zones
The tournament will run from June 8 to July 14, 2026 (a total of 37 days). The schedule is divided into 12 “match days” for the group stage, followed by the knockout phase (Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarter‑finals, Semi‑finals, Third‑place play‑off, and the Final).
Kickoff Times
All kickoff times are listed in local time (ET, PT, CT, MT, or local Canadian and Mexican time zones as applicable). For international broadcasters, the official FIFA calendar includes a “World Time” column, making it easier for viewers to adjust.
3. Group Stage Highlights
Opening Day (June 8)
| Match | Venue | Time | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MetLife Stadium | 10:00 AM ET | USA vs. Iceland |
| 2 | SoFi Stadium | 1:00 PM PT | France vs. Australia |
| 3 | Empower Field | 3:30 PM MT | Brazil vs. South Korea |
| 4 | NRG Stadium | 5:00 PM CT | Germany vs. Argentina |
The opening match, a fixture between the host nation USA and Iceland, kicks off the tournament at 10 AM local time in East Rutherford. This match is particularly significant as it marks the first time a host country opens a World Cup on a Monday, giving the US team an immediate advantage in acclimatizing to match conditions.
Grouping Mechanics
- Each group’s fixture list follows the traditional “2‑2‑1” format (i.e., the first two teams play each other, the next two, then the last pairing), followed by a single “play‑off” match between the winners of the first two games and the winners of the last two games.
- The group stage will produce 12 group winners and 12 runners‑up, who will advance to the Round of 32.
4. Knockout Stage Structure
| Round | Matchdays | Date(s) | Total Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 32 | 4 matchdays | July 4‑7 | 16 |
| Round of 16 | 2 matchdays | July 9‑10 | 8 |
| Quarter‑finals | 2 matchdays | July 13 | 4 |
| Semi‑finals | 2 matchdays | July 13‑14 | 2 |
| Third‑place play‑off | 1 matchday | July 14 | 1 |
| Final | 1 matchday | July 14 | 1 |
The knockout stage will begin on July 4, with the opening match of the Round of 32 taking place at the MetLife Stadium. The Final will be the marquee event on the evening of July 14, where the winner of the World Cup will lift the FIFA trophy in a ceremony that will be streamed live to an estimated 4.5 billion viewers worldwide.
5. Key Notes & Contextual Links
Official FIFA Calendar – The full schedule can be viewed directly on the FIFA website: https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/schedule
This page offers a downloadable PDF, interactive calendar, and embedded time‑zone converter.US Soccer Official Site – For updates on the US squad, travel requirements, and fan guides: https://www.ussoccer.com/world-cup
Canada Soccer – The Canadian federation’s own page on the tournament: https://www.canadasoccer.com/world-cup
Mexico Football Federation – Mexican fans can check the match list and ticketing info here: https://www.fedexfutbol.org/worldcup
Group Stage Tactics – For deeper analysis of how each group will play out, refer to the FIFA Group Stage Guide on https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/groups.
6. What This Means for Fans and Teams
Fans
Travel Planning – The release of the full schedule is a boon for international fans looking to attend multiple matches. With 80 games in 16 stadiums, the organizers have attempted to reduce travel fatigue by clustering matches by geography and time zones. For example, Group A and Group B matches in the US are spread over 3–4 consecutive days to keep fans in a single region.
Broadcast Availability – In the US, the Fox Sports and CBS Sports packages will have rights to broadcast all games. International broadcasters will rely on the official FIFA “world times” column to set their local schedules.
Teams
Rest Periods – The schedule offers a 48‑hour rest period between group matches for most teams. However, some teams will have to play on consecutive days, especially those in the same group who finish at the bottom of the table.
Group Dynamics – The “2‑2‑1” format means that each group’s final match is a “play‑off” game between the winners of the earlier matches. This has implications for tactics: teams that are ahead can play more aggressively knowing they only need a draw to secure progression.
7. The Bigger Picture: North America’s World Cup Legacy
The 2026 World Cup will be the first tri‑country tournament since the early 1900s. The joint hosting arrangement offers a unique opportunity to showcase North American infrastructure and soccer culture. The Sporting News article highlighted that FIFA’s choice of 16 venues was aimed at maximizing stadium availability, minimizing travel between cities, and creating a “world‑class” experience for fans and players alike.
Final Thought
The full match schedule gives a clear roadmap for the most celebrated sporting event of the decade. Whether you’re a die‑hard supporter of the U.S. national team, a casual fan planning a road trip, or a soccer historian eager to see the evolution of tournament structures, the release of the 2026 schedule is a pivotal moment that will shape the World Cup’s narrative for years to come.
Keep your calendars open and your tickets ready—June 8, 2026, will be a date that history remembers.
Read the Full Sporting News Article at:
[ https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/soccer/news/world-cup-2026-schedule-fixtures/bd2ffea0a515a899ed06abdd ]
