FIFA World Cup 2026 takes place in Mexico, USA and Canada this summer, with the opening match on Thursday, June 11 seeing Mexico play hosts to South Africa in Mexico City.
England and Scotland travel to the global showpiece with high hopes, with Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions rated as 6/1 with bookmakers Sky Bet to lift the Jules Rimet trophy.
Steve Clarke’s Scotland troops are a massive 250/1 to win the tournament, which comes to a crescendo in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
Spain are the favourites to be crowned World Cup champions and are widely available at 9/2 with most bookies, while France are priced 11/2.
Brazil can be backed at 8/1, and the USA are rated as the hosts with the best chance of securing the trophy, albeit at a price of 50/1.
There are 48 teams competing in the World Cup, which takes place across 37 days.
When are England playing their World Cup Group L games?
England vs Croatia – June 17, Dallas, 9pm (UK time)
England vs Ghana – June 23, Boston, 9pm (UK time)
Panama vs England – June 27, New Jersey, 10pm (UK time)
When are Scotland playing their World Cup Group C games?
Haiti vs Scotland – June 14, Boston, 2am (UK time)
Scotland vs Morocco – June 19, Boston, 11pm (UK time)
Scotland vs Brazil – June 24, Miami, 11pm (UK time)
What are the group stage and key dates for World Cup 2026?
Group stage: June 11–27
Round of 32: June 28–July 3
Round of 16: July 4–7
Quarter-finals: July 9–11
Semi-finals: July 14–15
Third-place play-off (‘Bronze final’): July 18
Final: July 19
How many World Cup 2026 games are there?
Football fans can enjoy 103 matches before July 19’s World Cup final – and below is a comprehensive guide to all the fixtures for the much-anticipated tournament (UK kick-off times).
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FIFA World Cup 2026 fixtures
Thursday, June 11
Group A: Mexico vs South Africa, kick-off 8pm – Mexico City, Mexico
Friday, June 12
Group A: South Korea vs Czech Republic, kick-off 3am – Zapopan, Mexico
Group B: Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, kick-off 8pm – Toronto, Canada
Saturday, June 13
Group D: USA vs Paraguay, kick-off 2am – Los Angeles, USA
Group B: Qatar vs Switzerland, kick-off 8pm – Santa Clara, USA
Group C: Brazil vs Morocco, kick-off 11pm – New Jersey, USA
Sunday, June 14
Group C: Haiti vs Scotland, kick-off 2am – Foxborough, USA
Group D: Australia vs Turkey, kick-off 5am – Vancouver, Canada
Group E: Germany vs Curacao, kick-off 6pm – Houston, USA
Group F: Netherlands vs Japan, kick-off 9pm – Arlington, USA
Monday, June 15
Group E: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador, kick-off 12am – Philadelphia, USA
Group F: Sweden vs Tunisia, kick-off 3am – Guadalupe, Mexico
Group H: Spain vs Cape Verde, kick-off 5pm – Atlanta, USA
Group G: Belgium vs Egypt, kick-off 8pm – Seattle, USA
Group H: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay, kick-off 11pm – Miami, USA
Tuesday, June 16
Group G: Iran vs New Zealand, kick-off 2am – Los Angeles, USA
Group I: France vs Senegal, kick-off 8pm – New Jersey, USA
Group I: Iraq vs Norway, kick-off 11pm – Foxborough, USA
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Wednesday, June 17
Group J: Argentina vs Algeria, kick-off 2am – Kansas City, USA
Group J: Austria vs Jordan, kick-off 5am – Santa Clara, USA
Group K: Portugal vs DR Congo, kick-off 6pm – Houston, USA
Group L: England vs Croatia, kick-off 9pm – Arlington, USA
Thursday, June 18
Group L: Ghana vs Panama, kick-off 12am – Toronto, Canada
Group K: Uzbekistan vs Colombia, kick-off 3am – Mexico City, Mexico
Group A: Czech Republic vs South Africa, kick-off 5pm – Atlanta, USA
Group B: Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, kick-off 8pm – Los Angeles, USA
Group B: Canada vs Qatar, kick-off 11pm – Vancouver, Canada
Friday, June 19
Group A: Mexico vs South Korea, kick-off 2am – Zapopan, Mexico
Group D: USA vs Australia, kick-off 8pm – Seattle, USA
Group C: Scotland vs Morocco, kick-off 11pm – Foxborough, USA
Saturday, June 20
Group C: Brazil vs Haiti, kick-off 2am – Philadelphia, USA
Group D: Turkey vs Paraguay, kick-off 5am – Santa Clara, USA
Group A: Netherlands vs Sweden, kick-off 6pm – Houston, USA
Group E: Germany vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 9pm – Toronto, Canada
Sunday, June 21
Group E: Ecuador vs Curacao, kick-off 1am – Kansas City, USA
Group F: Tunisia vs Japan, kick-off 5am – Guadalupe, Mexico
Group H: Spain vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 5pm – Atlanta, USA
Group G: Belgium vs Iran, kick-off 8pm – Los Angeles, USA
Group H: Uruguay vs Cape Verde, kick-off 11pm – Miami, USA
Monday, June 22
Group G: New Zealand vs Egypt, kick-off 2am – Vancouver, Canada
Group J: Argentina vs Austria, kick-off 6pm – Arlington, USA
Group I: France vs Iraq, kick-off 10pm – Philadelphia, USA
Tuesday, June 23
Group I: Norway vs Senegal, kick-off 1am – Toronto, Canada
Group J: Jordan vs Algeria, kick-off 4am – Santa Clara, USA
Group K: Portugal vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 6pm – Houston, USA
Group L: England vs Ghana, kick-off 9pm – Foxborough, USA
Wednesday, June 24
Group L: Panama vs Croatia, kick-off 12am – Foxborough, USA
Group K: Colombia vs DR Congo, kick-off 3am – Zapopan, Mexico
Group B: Switzerland vs Canada, kick-off 8pm – Vancouver, Canada
Group B: Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar, kick-off 8pm – Seattle, USA
Group C: Morocco vs Haiti, kick-off 11pm – Atlanta, USA
Group C: Scotland vs Brazil, kick-off 11pm – Miami, USA
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Thursday, June 25
Group A: South Africa vs South Korea, kick-off 2am – Guadalupe, Mexico
Group A: Czech Republic vs Mexico, kick-off 2am – Mexico City, Mexico
Group E: Curacao vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 9pm – Philadelphia, USA
Group E: Ecuador vs Germany, kick-off 9pm – New Jersey, USA
Friday, June 26
Group F: Tunisia vs Netherlands, kick-off 12am – Kansas City, USA
Group F: Japan vs Sweden, kick-off 12am – Arlington, USA
Group D: Turkey vs USA, kick-off 3am – Los Angeles, USA
Group D: Paraguay vs Australia, kick-off 3am – Santa Clara, USA
Group I: Norway vs France, kick-off 8pm – Foxborough, USA
Group I: Senegal vs Iraq, kick-off 8pm – Toronto, Canada
Saturday, June 27
Group H: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 1am – Houston, USA
Group H: Uruguay vs Spain, kick-off 1am – Zapopan, Mexico
Group G: New Zealand vs Belgium, kick-off 4am – Vancouver, Canada
Group G: Egypt vs Iran, kick-off 4am – Seattle, USA
Group L: Panama vs England, kick-off 10pm – New Jersey, USA
Group L: Croatia vs Ghana, kick-off 10pm – Philadelphia, USA
Sunday, June 28
Group K: Colombia vs Portugal, kick-off 12.30am – Miami, USA
Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 12.30am – Atlanta, USA
Group J: Algeria vs Austria, kick-off 3am – Kansas City, USA
Group J: Jordan vs Argentina, kick-off 3am – Arlington, USA
Round of 32 (Match 73): Group A runners-up vs Group B runners-up, kick-off 8pm – Los Angeles, USA
Monday, June 29
Round of 32 (Match 76): Group C winners vs Group F runners-up, kick-off 6pm – Houston, USA
Round of 32 (Match 74): Group E winners vs Group A/B/C/D/F third place, kick-off 9.30pm – Foxborough, USA
Tuesday, June 30
Round of 32 (Match 75): Group F winners vs Group C runners-up, kick-off 2am – Guadalupe, Mexico
Round of 32 (Match 78): Group E runners-up vs Group I runners-up, kick-off 6pm – Arlington, USA
Round of 32 (Match 77): Group I winners vs Group C/D/F/G/H third place, kick-off 10pm – New Jersey, USA
Wednesday, July 1
Round of 32 (Match 79): Group A winners vs Group C/E/F/H/I third place, kick-off 2am – Mexico City, Mexico
Round of 32 (Match 80): Group L winners vs Group E/H/I/J/K third place, kick-off 5pm – Atlanta, USA
Round of 32 (Match 82): Group G winners vs Group A/E/H/I/J third place, kick-off 9pm – Seattle, USA
Thursday, July 2
Round of 32 (Match 81): Group D winners vs Group B/E/F/I/J third place, kick-off 1am – Santa Clara, USA
Round of 32 (Match 84): Group H winners vs Group J runners-up, kick-off 8pm – Los Angeles, USA
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Friday, July 3
Round of 32 (Match 83): Group K runners-up vs Group L runners-up, kick-off 12am – Toronto, Canada
Round of 32 (Match 85): Group B winners vs Group E/F/G/I/J third place, kick-off 4am – Vancouver, Canada
Round of 32 (Match 88): Group D runners-up vs Group G runners-up, kick-off 7pm – Arlington, USA
Round of 32 (Match 86): Group J winners vs Group H runners-up, kick-off 11pm – Miami, USA
Saturday, July 4
Round of 32 (Match 87): Group K winners vs Group D/E/I/J/L third place, kick-off 2.30am – Kansas City, USA
Round of 16 (Match 90): Match 73 winners vs Match 75 winners, kick-off 6pm – Houston, USA
Round of 16 (Match 89): Match 74 winners vs Match 77 winners, kick-off 10pm – Philadelphia, USA
Sunday, July 5
Round of 16 (Match 91): Match 76 winners vs Match 78 winners, kick-off 9pm – New Jersey, USA
Monday, July 6
Round of 16 (Match 92): Match 79 winners vs Match 80 winners, kick-off 1am – Mexico City, Mexico
Round of 16 (Match 93): Match 83 winners vs Match 84 winners, kick-off 8pm – Arlington, USA
Tuesday, July 7
Round of 16 (Match 94): Match 81 winners vs Match 82 winners, kick-off 1am – Seattle, USA
Round of 16 (Match 95): Match 86 winners vs Match 88 winners, kick-off 5pm – Atlanta, USA
Round of 16 (Match 96): Match 85 winners vs Match 87 winners, kick-off 9pm – Vancouver, Canada
Thursday, July 9
Quarter-final (Match 97): Match 89 winners vs Match 90 winners, kick-off 9pm – Foxborough, USA
Friday, July 10
Quarter-final (Match 98): Match 93 winners vs Match 94 winners, kick-off 8pm – Los Angeles, USA
Saturday, July 11
Quarter-final (Match 99): Match 91 winners vs Match 92 winners, kick-off 10pm – Miami, USA
Sunday, July 12
Quarter-final (Match 100): Match 95 winners vs Match 96 winners, kick-off 2am – Kansas City, USA
Tuesday, July 14
Semi-final (Match 101): Match 97 winners vs Match 98 winners, kick-off 8pm – Arlington, USA
Wednesday, July 15
Semi-final (Match 102): Match 99 winners vs Match 100 winners, kick-off 8pm – Atlanta, USA
Saturday, July 18
Third place play-off (Match 103): Match 101 losers vs Match 102 losers, kick-off 10pm – Miami, USA
Sunday, July 19
Final (Match 104): Match 101 winners vs Match 102 winners, kick-off 8pm – New Jersey, USA
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