Who is playing at the 2026 World Cup and when? Kick-off times and how to watch in the UK

The 2026 World Cup begins on June 11 and ends on July 19 when the final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Marcio Machado - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

Eight years after the hosts were announced, the 2026 World Cup is right around the corner and the world's best footballers are preparing to compete for glory in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

This summer's expanded 48-team tournament has 13 different kick-off times, with almost 50% of the group stage matches kicking off after midnight in the UK so keeping track of who is playing and when will be tougher at this World Cup than in recent editions.

Here, ESPN breaks down who is playing when, and how you can watch them.

All times BST


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World Cup fixtures, results, how to watch

Thursday, June 11

Group A

Mexico vs. South Africa, Mexico City: 8 p.m. -- ITV1

South Korea vs. Czechia, Zapopan: 2 a.m. (on June 12) -- ITV1

Friday, June 12

Group B

Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Toronto: 8 p.m. -- BBC One

Group D

United States vs. Paraguay, Los Angeles: 2 a.m. (on June 13) -- BBC One

Saturday, June 13

Group B

Qatar vs. Switzerland, Santa Clara: 8 p.m. -- ITV1

Group C

Brazil vs. Morocco, New Jersey: 11 p.m. -- BBC One

Haiti vs. Scotland, Foxborough: 2 a.m. (on June 14) -- BBC One

Group D

Australia vs. Türkiye, Vancouver: 5 a.m. (on June 14) -- ITV1

Sunday, June 14

Group E

Germany vs. Curacao, Houston: 6 p.m. -- ITV1

Group F

Netherlands vs. Japan, Arlington: 9 p.m. -- ITV1

Group E

Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador, Philadelphia: 12 a.m. (on June 15) -- BBC One

Group F

Sweden vs. Tunisia, Guadalupe: 3 a.m. (on June 15) -- ITV1

Monday, June 15

Group H

Spain vs. Cape Verde, Atlanta: 5 p.m. -- ITV1

Group G

Belgium vs. Egypt, Seattle: 8 p.m. -- BBC One

Group H

Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay, Miami: 11 p.m. -- ITV1

Group G

Iran vs. New Zealand, Los Angeles: 2 a.m. (on June 16) -- BBC One

Tuesday, June 16

Group I

France vs. Senegal, New Jersey: 8 p.m. -- BBC One

Iraq vs. Norway, Foxborough: 11 p.m. -- BBC One

Group J

Argentina vs. Algeria, Kansas City: 2 a.m. (on June 17) -- ITV1

Austria vs. Jordan, Santa Clara: 5 a.m. (on June 17) -- BBC One

Wednesday, June 17

Group K

Portugal vs. DR Congo, Houston: 6 p.m. -- BBC One

Group L

England vs. Croatia, Arlington: 9 p.m. -- ITV1

Ghana vs. Panama, Toronto: 12 a.m. (on June 18) -- ITV1

Group K

Uzbekistan vs. Colombia, Mexico City: 3 a.m. (on June 18) -- BBC One

Thursday, June 18

Group A

Czechia vs. South Africa, Atlanta: 5 p.m. -- BBC One

Group B

Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Los Angeles: 8 p.m. -- ITV1

Canada vs. Qatar, Vancouver: 11 p.m. -- ITV1

Group A

Mexico vs. South Korea, Zapopan: 2 a.m. (on June 19) -- BBC One

Friday, June 19

Group D

United States vs. Australia, Seattle: 8 p.m. -- BBC One

Group C

Scotland vs. Morocco, Foxborough: 11 p.m. -- ITV1

Brazil vs. Haiti, Philadelphia: 1.30 a.m. (on June 20) -- ITV1

Group D

Türkiye vs. Paraguay, Santa Clara: 4 a.m. (on June 20) -- ITV1

Saturday, June 20

Group F

Netherlands vs. Sweden, Houston: 6 p.m. -- BBC One

Group E

Germany vs. Ivory Coast, Toronto: 9 p.m. -- ITV1

Ecuador vs. Curacao, Kansas City: 1 a.m. (on June 21) -- BBC One

Group F

Tunisia vs. Japan, Guadalupe: 5 a.m. (on June 21) -- BBC One

Sunday, June 21

Group H

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia, Atlanta: 5 p.m. -- BBC One

Group G

Belgium vs. Iran, Los Angeles: 8 p.m. -- ITV1

Group H

Uruguay vs. Cape Verde, Miami: 11 p.m. -- BBC One

Group G

New Zealand vs. Egypt, Vancouver: 2 a.m. (on June 22) -- ITV1

Monday, June 22

Group J

Argentina vs. Austria, Arlington: 6 p.m. -- BBC One

Group I

France vs. Iraq, Philadelphia: 10 p.m. -- BBC One

Norway vs. Senegal, New Jersey: 1 a.m. (on June 23) -- ITV1

Group J

Jordan vs. Algeria, Santa Clara: 4 a.m. (on June 23) -- ITV1

Tuesday, June 23

Group K

Portugal vs. Uzbekistan, Houston: 6 p.m. -- ITV1

Group L

England vs. Ghana, Foxborough: 9 p.m. -- BBC One

Panama vs. Croatia, Toronto: 12 a.m. (on June 24) -- BBC One

Group K

Colombia vs. DR Congo, Zapopan: 3 a.m. (on June 24) -- ITV1

Wednesday, June 24

Group B

Switzerland vs. Canada, Vancouver: 8 p.m. -- ITV1

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar, Seattle: 8 p.m. -- ITV4

Group C

Scotland vs. Brazil, Miami: 11 p.m. -- BBC One

Morocco vs. Haiti, Atlanta: 11 p.m. -- BBC Two

Group A

Czechia vs. Mexico, Mexico City: 2 a.m. (on June 25) -- BBC One

South Africa vs. South Korea, Guadalupe: 2 a.m. (on June 25) -- BBC Two

Thursday, June 25

Group E

Ecuador vs. Germany, New Jersey: 9 p.m. -- BBC One

Curacao vs. Ivory Coast, Philadelphia: 9 p.m. -- BBC Two

Group F

Tunisia vs. Netherlands, Kansas City: 12 a.m. (on June 26) -- BBC One

Japan vs. Sweden, Arlington: 12 a.m. (on June 26) -- BBC Two

Group D

Türkiye vs. United States, Los Angeles: 3 a.m. (on June 26) -- ITV1

Paraguay vs. Australia, Santa Clara: 3 a.m. (on June 26) -- ITV4

Friday, June 26

Group I

Norway vs. France, Foxborough: 8 p.m. -- ITV1

Senegal vs. Iraq, Toronto: 8 p.m. -- ITV4

Group H

Uruguay vs. Spain, Zapopan: 1 a.m. (on June 27) -- ITV1

Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia, Houston: 1 a.m. (on June 27) -- ITV4

Group G

New Zealand vs. Belgium, Vancouver: 4 a.m. (on June 27) -- BBC One

Egypt vs. Iran, Seattle: 4 a.m. (on June 27) -- BBC Two

Saturday, June 27

Group L

Panama vs. England, New Jersey: 10 p.m. -- ITV1

Croatia vs. Ghana, Philadelphia: 10 p.m. -- ITV4

Group K

Colombia vs. Portugal, Miami: 12.30 a.m. (on June 28) -- BBC One

DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan, Atlanta: 12.30 a.m. (on June 28) -- BBC Two

Group J

Jordan vs. Argentina, Arlington: 3 a.m. (on June 28) -- BBC One

Algeria vs. Austria, Kansas City: 3 a.m. (on June 28) -- BBC Two

Sunday, June 28

Round of 32

Match 73: Group A runners-up vs. Group B runners-up, Los Angeles: 8 p.m.

Monday, June 29

Round of 32

Match 76: Group C winners vs. Group F runners-up, Houston: 6 p.m.

Match 74: Group E winners vs. Group A/B/C/D/F third place, Foxborough: 9.30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 30

Round of 32

Match 75: Group F winners vs. Group C runners-up, Guadalupe: 2 a.m.

Match 78: Group E runners-up vs. Group I runners-up, Arlington: 6 p.m.

Match 77: Group I winners vs. Group C/D/F/G/H third place, New Jersey: 10 p.m.

Wednesday, July 1

Round of 32

Match 79: Group A winners vs. Group C/E/F/H/I third place, Mexico City: 2 a.m.

Match 80: Group L winners vs. Group E/H/I/J/K third place, Atlanta: 5 p.m.

Match 82: Group G winners vs. Group A/E/H/I/J third place, Seattle: 9 p.m.

Thursday, July 2

Round of 32

Match 81: Group D winners vs. Group B/E/F/I/J third place, Santa Clara: 1 a.m.

Match 84: Group H winners vs. Group J runners-up, Los Angeles: 8 p.m.

Friday, July 3

Round of 32

Match 83: Group K runners-up vs. Group L runners-up, Toronto: 12 a.m.

Match 85: Group B winners vs. Group E/F/G/I/J third place, Vancouver: 4 a.m.

Match 88: Group D runners-up vs. Group G runners-up, Arlington: 7 p.m.

Match 86: Group J winners vs. Group H runners-up, Miami: 11 p.m.

Saturday, July 4

Round of 32

Match 87: Group K winners vs. Group D/E/I/J/L third place, Kansas City: 2.30 a.m.

Round of 16

Match 90: Match 73 winners vs. Match 75 winners, Houston: 6 p.m.

Match 89: Match 74 winners vs. Match 77 winners, Philadelphia: 10 p.m.

Sunday, July 5

Round of 16

Match 91: Match 76 winners vs. Match 78 winners, New Jersey: 9 p.m.

Monday, July 6

Round of 16

Match 92: Match 79 winners vs. Match 80 winners, Mexico City: 1 a.m.

Match 93: Match 83 winners vs. Match 84 winners, Arlington: 8 p.m.

Tuesday, July 7

Round of 16

Match 94: Match 81 winners vs. Match 82 winners, Seattle: 1 a.m.

Match 95: Match 86 winners vs. Match 88 winners, Atlanta: 5 p.m.

Match 96: Match 85 winners vs. Match 87 winners, Vancouver: 9 p.m.

Thursday, July 9

Quarterfinal

Match 97: Match 89 winners vs. Match 90 winners, Foxborough: 9 p.m.

Friday, July 10

Quarterfinal

Match 98: Match 93 winners vs. Match 94 winners, Los Angeles: 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 11

Quarterfinal

Match 99: Match 91 winners vs. Match 92 winners, Miami: 10 p.m.

Sunday, July 12

Quarterfinal

Match 100: Match 95 winners vs. Match 96 winners, Kansas City: 2 a.m.

Tuesday, July 14

Semifinal

Match 101: Match 97 winners vs. Match 98 winners, Arlington: 8 p.m.

Wednesday, July 15

Semifinal

Match 102: Match 99 winners vs. Match 100 winners, Atlanta: 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 18

Third Place Playoff

Match 103: Match 101 losers vs. Match 102 losers, Miami: 10 p.m.

Sunday, July 19

Final

Match 104: Match 101 winners vs. Match 102 winners, New Jersey: 8 p.m -- BBC One and ITV1