World Cup 2026 fixtures: Schedule, venues, and kick-off times

The World Cup 2026 is approaching, with FIFA’s expanded 48-team tournament set to begin. England is scheduled to play against Croatia, Ghana, and Panama, while Scotland will face Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil in this prestigious event held across Mexico, Canada, and the USA. Excitement is palpable as teams finalize their squads and prepare for their initial group stage matches.

This tournament promises to be historic, featuring 104 matches—40 more than the Qatar World Cup 2022. Fans are likely to witness Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo making their appearances on this grand stage for the final time in their illustrious careers. The competition will span 39 action-packed days across the three host nations.

The groups for the World Cup 2026 are as follows:

• Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic
• Group B: Canada, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
• Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
• Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
• Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
• Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
• Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
• Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
• Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
• Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
• Group K: Portugal, Congo DR, Uzbekistan, Colombia
• Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

The tournament will kick off at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, known for hosting some of the most memorable moments in World Cup history, including Diego Maradona’s legendary goals in 1986. Mexico and Canada will each host 13 matches, while the United States will host an extensive 78 matches, culminating in the final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.

The World Cup 2026 is set to commence in Mexico on 11 June and conclude in New Jersey on 19 July.