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SCHEDULE
2026 World Cup Schedule & Key Dates
May 2026 · 5 min read
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs for 39 days across three countries. Whether you are planning which matches to watch, tracking your team's path, or following the full tournament, here is every key date from opening match to the Final.
Full tournament timeline
June 11, 2026
Opening Match
The tournament kicks off. Host nation USA plays their first group stage match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
June 11 – July 2
Group Stage
72 matches across 12 groups. All 48 teams play 3 group matches each. Third matchday of each group is simultaneous.
June 28 – July 3
Round of 32 (new)
16 single-elimination matches. The brand-new stage introduced in 2026. 32 teams enter, 16 advance.
July 4 – July 7
Round of 16
8 matches across 4 days. The last 16 teams compete for a spot in the quarter-finals.
July 9 – July 10
Quarter-finals
4 matches over 2 days. The final 8 teams compete for the semi-final spots.
July 14 – July 15
Semi-finals
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) and Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA). Four teams remain.
July 19, 2026
🏆 THE FINAL — MetLife Stadium
East Rutherford, New Jersey. Capacity 82,500. The largest football match in history.
Stage-by-stage summary
| Stage | Dates | Matches | Teams |
|---|
| Group Stage | Jun 11 – Jul 2 | 72 | 48 |
| Round of 32 | Jun 28 – Jul 3 | 16 | 32 |
| Round of 16 | Jul 4 – Jul 7 | 8 | 16 |
| Quarter-finals | Jul 9 – Jul 10 | 4 | 8 |
| Semi-finals | Jul 14 – Jul 15 | 2 | 4 |
| Final | Jul 19 | 1 | 2 |
Host venues
The 2026 World Cup uses 16 stadiums across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Key venues for the knockout stages include:
East Rutherford, NJ · Final
MetLife Stadium
82,500 capacity
Arlington, TX · Semi-final
AT&T Stadium
80,000 capacity
Atlanta, GA · Semi-final
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
71,000 capacity
Los Angeles, CA · Opening
SoFi Stadium
70,240 capacity
Foxborough, MA · Multiple KO
Gillette Stadium
65,878 capacity
Miami, FL
Hard Rock Stadium
65,326 capacity
Mexico City, Mexico
Estadio Azteca
87,523 capacity
Toronto, Canada
BMO Field
45,000 capacity
Note on overlapping stages: The Round of 32 and the Group Stage overlap slightly — the last two group matchdays are played on June 28 and July 2, while Round of 32 matches begin June 28. This means the knockout phase starts before the group stage is fully complete.
Track every match on the interactive bracket
Bracketo shows all 104 matches with their dates and venues on a single interactive page. Every group card displays all matchdays, and the full knockout bracket traces from the Round of 32 to the MetLife Final — updated as results come in.
Open the Full 2026 Schedule →