The countdown to the biggest FIFA World Cup ever is officially on! The highly anticipated tournament is just around the corner, and excitement has reached an all-time high across Canada, the United States and Mexico. With 48 nations competing across 104 matches in a month-long celebration of the beautiful game, there's plenty to look forward to both on and off the pitch, especially for Canadian fans. 

From June 11 to July 19, the FIFA Fan Festival in Toronto will transform the city into one big soccer celebration where fans can watch matches, enjoy live entertainment, and experience interactive events throughout the tournament. With more than 30 food vendors, the festival is designed to bring communities and cultures together in the spirit of the World Cup. Best of all, it’s completely free for general admission! 

The timing of the festival perfectly matches the tournament itself, which officially kicks off on June 11th in Mexico City. The opening match will take place at the Mexico City Stadium, while the final will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which has been temporarily renamed the New York New Jersey Stadium. FIFA has decided to rename all host stadiums based on their city locations for the event to avoid brand sponsorship conflicts during the World Cup.

Between the expanded tournament format, new host cities, debut nations, and fan experiences happening across North America, the FIFA World Cup 2026 is already feeling bigger and better than ever. Keep reading for a breakdown of everything you need to know leading up to kick-off including the final groups and teams, new format, player announcement deadlines and full match schedule!

What are the final groups and teams for FIFA World Cup 2026?

●      Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, Czechia

●      Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland

●      Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

●      Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkiye

●      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, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia

●      Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

What is the format of the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The tournament will consist of one group-stage round and four knockout rounds before the final. Unlike previous editions, the knockouts will begin with the round of 32, followed by the round of 16, the four quarterfinals and two semifinals.

The stage-wise breakdown of the tournament’s schedule is:

●      Group stage: June 11 June 27

●      Round of 32: June 28 to July 3

●      Round of 16: July 4-7

●      Quarterfinals: July 9-11

●      Semifinals: July 14-15

●      Bronze medal match: July 18

●      Final: July 19

What are the deadlines for national teams to announce their player lists?

FIFA has set dates and deadlines for the teams that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup to decide the players who will compete at the tournament.

●      11 May: Teams must submit a preliminary list of 35 to 55 players, including five goalkeepers

●      25 May: Last date for clubs to release called-up players

●      From 25 May to 1 June: Teams must submit a final list of 23 to 26 players, including three goalkeepers

Although the lists are generally considered final, FIFA allows changes under certain specific conditions. If any called-up player suffers serious illness or injury, teams may replace them up to 24 hours before their first match in the tournament.

Full Match Schedule

Group stage

Thursday, June 11

●      Mexico vs South Africa at 3pm (21:00 GMT) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

●      South Korea vs Czechia at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Friday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

Friday, June 12

●      Canada vs Bosnia at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

●      USA vs Paraguay at 9pm (05:00 GMT on Saturday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Saturday, June 13

●      Qatar vs Switzerland at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

●      Brazil vs Morocco at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

●      Haiti vs Scotland at 9pm (02:00 GMT on Sunday) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

●      Australia vs Turkiye at midnight (08:00 GMT on Sunday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Sunday, June 14

●      Germany vs Curacao at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

●      Netherlands vs Japan at 4pm (22:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

●      Ivory Coast vs Ecuador at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Monday) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

●      Sweden vs Tunisia at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Monday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

Monday, June 15

●      Spain vs Cape Verde at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

●      Belgium vs Egypt at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

●      Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

●      Iran vs New Zealand at 9pm (05:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Tuesday, June 16

●      France vs Senegal at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

●      Iraq vs Norway at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

●      Argentina vs Algeria at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

●      Austria vs Jordan at midnight (08:00 GMT on Wednesday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Wednesday, June 17

●      Portugal vs DRC at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

●      England vs Croatia at 4pm (22:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

●      Ghana vs Panama at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Thursday) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

●      Uzbekistan vs Colombia at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Thursday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

Thursday, June 18

●      Czechia vs South Africa at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

●      Switzerland vs Bosnia at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

●      Canada vs Qatar at 6pm (02:00 GMT on Friday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

●      Mexico vs South Korea at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Friday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

Friday, June 19

●      Scotland vs Morocco at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

●      USA vs Australia at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

●      Brazil vs Haiti at 9pm (02:00 GMT on Saturday) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

●      Turkiye vs Paraguay at midnight (08:00 GMT on Saturday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Saturday, June 20

●      Netherlands vs Sweden at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

●      Germany vs Ivory Coast at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

●      Ecuador vs Curacao at 8pm (04:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

●      Tunisia vs Japan at midnight (06:00 GMT on Sunday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

Sunday, June 21

●      Spain vs Saudi Arabia at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

●      Belgium vs Iran at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

●      Uruguay vs Cape Verde at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

●      New Zealand vs Egypt at 9pm (05:00 GMT on Monday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Monday, June 22

●      Argentina vs Austria at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

●      France vs Iraq at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

●      Norway vs Senegal at 8pm (01:00 GMT on Tuesday) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

●      Jordan vs Algeria at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Tuesday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Tuesday, June 23

●      Portugal vs Uzbekistan at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

●      England vs Ghana at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

●      Panama vs Croatia at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

●      Colombia vs DRC at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

Wednesday, June 24

●      Switzerland vs Canada at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

●      Bosnia vs Qatar at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

●      Scotland vs Brazil at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

●      Morocco vs Haiti at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

●      Czechia vs Mexico at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Thursday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

●      South Africa vs South Korea at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Thursday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

Thursday, June 25

●      Ecuador vs Germany at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

●      Curacao vs Ivory Coast at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

●      Japan vs Sweden at 7pm (01:00 GMT on Friday) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

●      Tunisia vs Netherlands at 7pm (01:00 GMT on Friday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US,

●      Turkiye vs USA at 10pm (06:00 GMT on Friday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

●      Paraguay vs Australia at 10pm (06:00 GMT on Friday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Friday, June 26

●      Norway vs France at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

●      Senegal vs Iraq at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

●      Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia at 8pm (02:00 GMT on Saturday) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

●      Uruguay vs Spain at 8pm (02:00 GMT on Saturday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

●      Egypt vs Iran at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Saturday) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

●      New Zealand vs Belgium at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Saturday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Saturday, June 27

●      Panama vs England at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

●      Croatia vs Ghana at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

●      Colombia vs Portugal at 7:30pm (02:30 GMT on Sunday) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

●      DRC vs Uzbekistan at 7:30pm (02:30 GMT on Sunday) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

●      Algeria vs Austria at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

●      Jordan vs Argentina at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Sunday) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Knockout stage

Sunday, June 28

●      Round of 32 match at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Monday, June 29

●      Round of 32 match at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

●      Round of 32 match at 4:30pm (22:30 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

●      Round of 32 match at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

Tuesday, June 30

●      Round of 32 match at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

●      Round of 32 match at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

●      Round of 32 match at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

Wednesday, July 1

●      Round of 32 match at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

●      Round of 32 match at 4pm (00:00 GMT on Thursday) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

●      Round of 32 match at 8pm (04:00 GMT on Thursday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Thursday, July 2

●      Round of 32 match at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

●      Round of 32 match at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Friday) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

●      Round of 32 match at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Friday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Friday, July 3

●      Round of 32 match at 2pm (21:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

●      Round of 32 match at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

●      Round of 32 match at 9:30pm (03:30 GMT on Saturday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

Saturday, July 4

●      Round of 16 match at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

●      Round of 16 match at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

Sunday, July 5

●      Round of 16 match at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

●      Round of 16 match at 8pm (02:00 GMT on Monday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

Monday, July 6

●      Round of 16 match at 3pm (21:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

●      Round of 16 match at 8pm (04:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

Tuesday, July 7

●      Round of 16 match at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

●      Round of 16 match at 4pm (00:00 GMT on Wednesday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Thursday, 9 July

●      First quarterfinal at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Friday, 10 July

●      Second quarterfinal at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Saturday, July 11

●      Third quarterfinal at 5pm (22:00 GMT) –  Miami Stadium, Miami, US

●      Fourth quarterfinal at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

Tuesday, July 14

●      First semifinal at 3pm (21:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Wednesday, July 15

●      Second semifinal at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Saturday, July 18

●      Bronze medal match at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

Sunday, July 19

●      Final at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US.