2026 World Cup Fixtures & Schedule
All 48 nations competing at the 2026 World Cup have now been determined. The 12 groups have been drawn and the build-up to the world’s biggest sporting competition is well underway. The countdown towards the opening game between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday 11 June is ticking away ever faster.
Though the exact fixtures in the knockout rounds will not be known until the group stage concludes, we do know the matches taking place throughout the opening round. All of the group stage fixtures for the 2026 World Cup can be found below, so you can begin planning which matches to watch, and find the exact fixtures of your home nation or favourite team.
World Cup Group Stage Fixtures
World Cup 2026 Group Stage
Here are the all important groups and standings at the 2026 World Cup. You can also see the updated third-place rankings for those all-important eight qualifying spots.
2026 World Cup Knockout Round Schedule
For the first time in World Cup history, there will be no break between the group stage and the knockout rounds. The groups conclude on Saturday 27 June, with the first round of 32 matches beginning on Sunday 28 June, where the runners-up in Group A play the second-placed team from Group B. The final round of 32 matches take place on Friday 3 July, nearly one week later.
There are then two last 16 matches each day between Saturday 4 July-Tuesday 7 July. There will then be the first hiatus, before the quarter finals take place between Thursday 9 July-Saturday 11 July. The final week of the tournament sees the first significant breaks as the semi-finals begin on Tuesday 14 July, with the second of the last four matches on Wednesday 15 July. The final then takes place in New Jersey on Sunday 19 July, with the third place play-off the day before.
England World Cup Fixtures 2026
England begin their World Cup against a recent foe. At the 2018 World Cup, Croatia beat England after extra time in the semi-final to progress to a final against France. Three years later, England earned a semblance of revenge by beating Croatia 1-0 in the Euro 2020 group stage. They meet once more on Wednesday 17 June in the opening pool fixture in Group L.
Their remaining two fixtures are against less familiar rivals. Ghana have only faced England once, a 1-1 friendly draw in 2011, with the two facing off for a first time since on Tuesday 23 June. The group concludes with England vs Panama, a match which saw the Three Lions triumph 6-1 at the 2018 World Cup. That final match is on Saturday 27 June.
Thereafter, England’s fixtures will depend on their group performance. Finish bottom of Group L and their tournament ends there. Any other finish in the group could see them continue onwards.
If England top their group, their last 32 match will be in Atlanta on Wednesday 1 July. They will play a third-placed team from one of Groups E, H, I, J or K. If England finish second, they will play the runner-up in Group K containing Colombia, DR Congo, Portugal and Uzbekistan. If they finish as one of the eight best third-placed teams, the qualifiers from each other pool will determine who and where they play next.
England 2026 World Cup Fixtures
- Wednesday 17 June (9pm) – England vs Croatia
- Tuesday 23 June (9pm) – England vs Ghana
- Saturday 27 June (10pm) – England vs Panama
FAQs
When is the opening match at the 2026 World Cup?
The opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place on Thursday 11 June between Mexico & South Africa. The match will kick off at 8pm UK time.
How will the time difference affect the UK kick off times at the World Cup?
Three different time zones will be in play during the World Cup this summer. For fans in the UK, the time difference between the east coast is 5 hours ahead, between central US is 6 hours, and between the west coast is 8 hours. In total, 13 different kick off times will be used during the group stage of the World Cup.
When are England playing at the 2026 World Cup?
England’s three group games are on Wednesday 17 June at 9pm against Croatia, Tuesday 23 June at 9pm against Ghana and Saturday 27 June at 10pm against Panama.
How can I watch England’s fixtures at the World Cup?
England’s fixtures will be broadcast between the BBC and ITV. The Croatia match is on ITV1, the Ghana Match on BBC1, while the Panama match will return to ITV1.