When does the 2026 World Cup start?

Kristie Ackert, USA TODAYWed, June 10, 2026 at 11:29 AM UTC·2 min read

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs June 11 through July 19, sprawling across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada in what will be the largest tournament in the sport’s history.

This will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, which has increased the tournament to 104 games over 39 days.

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Here is how the World Cup's footprint breaks down, round by round.

When does the 2026 FIFA World Cup start?

The tournament kicks off June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Mexico faces South Africa. The Azteca becomes the first stadium in history to host three different World Cups, having previously hosted in 1970 and 1986.

Canada hosts its first game June 12 in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The United States begins the same day in Los Angeles against Paraguay.

When does the group stage end?

The group stage runs through June 27, with all 48 teams playing three matches across 12 groups. The top two teams from each group advance automatically, joined by the eight best third-place finishers. Thirty-two teams move on.

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The round of 32 is a new twist

The 2026 World Cup introduces a brand-new round of 32. Teams no longer go straight from the group stage to the round of 16; there's now an extra knockout game standing between the group stage and the familiar 16-team bracket.

The round of 32 runs June 28 through July 3.

When is the round of 16?

The round of 16 starts July 4 and runs through July 7. In observance of the United States’ 250th anniversary, Philadelphia, considered the birthplace of the country, hosts a match on July 4, Independence Day.

When are the quarterfinals?

The quarterfinals run July 9 through July 11, spread across Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Kansas City.

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When are the semifinals?

The final four teams will play in the semifinals July 14 and 15. Both are in the United States with AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta hosting.

When is the third-place match?

The match for third place will be played July 18 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup final?

It all comes down to July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When does the 2026 FIFA World Cup start?