Match Schedule & Fixtures

All times are converted to British Summer Time (BST/UTC+1). Kick-off times are subject to official broadcast scheduling confirmation. Last updated: May 2026.

The 2026 World Cup — A Tournament Like No Other

The 2026 World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026, spanning the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It is, by every measure, the largest football tournament ever staged: 48 nations, 16 host cities, 104 matches, and a Final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on 19 July.

Compared to the 32-team format UK fans are used to, this is a fundamentally different beast. The expanded 12-group structure means more teams, more matches, and a longer window for fans to plan travel around. For England supporters, the group stage alone guarantees three matches across potentially two or three different host cities — before the knockout rounds even begin.

The group draw took place on 5 December 2025 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. All 48 teams now have confirmed opponents, confirmed group letters, and — as schedules have been released — confirmed match cities. What follows is everything UK fans need to know about the fixture schedule.

Key Tournament Dates

The opening match was played on 11 June 2026 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City — one of world football's most iconic venues, hosting its third World Cup. The Final takes place 38 days later on the other side of the continent, in the shadow of Manhattan.

Tournament Format Explained

The 2026 World Cup is the first edition under the expanded 48-team format:

• 12 groups of 4 teams (A through L)
• Top 2 from each group advance automatically to the Round of 32 (24 teams)
• Best 8 third-placed teams from across all 12 groups also advance, bringing the Round of 32 field to 32 teams
• From the Round of 32 onwards, it is single-elimination knockout football

The consequence of this format is that finishing bottom of your group but still being among the best third-placed teams keeps you alive. However, a win in your group guarantees progress — so qualification dynamics remain broadly similar to what fans are used to. The additional round (Round of 32, replacing what used to be the Round of 16) is the new feature that makes the tournament genuinely longer and more complex to follow.

In total: 104 matches across 38 days. Compared to the 64 matches of a 32-team World Cup, there are 40 additional games — roughly one extra match per day.

All 12 Groups — Confirmed Draw

The draw was conducted on 5 December 2025. All 48 nations are confirmed.

Scotland and Wales did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup. England are the only UK nation competing.

England's Group — Group C in Detail

England are in Group C, alongside Slovenia, Panama, and Senegal — as confirmed at the December 2025 draw.

England's Group Stage Opponents

Slovenia — England have faced Slovenia in qualifying campaigns before. A disciplined, well-organised side that finished strongly in UEFA qualifying. Not a team to underestimate, particularly in the group stage when they will be highly motivated to cause an upset.

Panama — The Central American side qualified through CONCACAF. A physical, direct team with good organisation. England fans will recall the 2018 World Cup meeting (a 6-1 victory for England in Russia) with some fondness. Panama will be energised by competing in a tournament co-hosted on their continent.

Senegal — The most technically challenging group stage opponent England face. AFCON champions and a side with genuine quality throughout, led by players at top European clubs. This will be the defining group stage match for England, likely determining who finishes top of the group.

England's Group C Fixtures — Confirmed

All three group stage matches are at UK-friendly kick-off times — no late nights required for the group stage.

For England fans travelling:

• Philadelphia (MD1): Lincoln Financial Field — 13 June. Book accommodation in central Philadelphia or South Jersey early.
• New York/NJ (MD2): MetLife Stadium — 18 June. Consider Newark or Hoboken as bases. Ground accessible via NJ Transit.
• Miami (MD3): Hard Rock Stadium — 24 June. Miami Beach hotels fill fast; book now.

England's Likely Knockout Path

If England progress from Group C (as a top-two finisher), they would enter the Round of 32. The knockout bracket structure in a 48-team World Cup means the specific opponent depends on how groups A through F resolve. The key point: if England top Group C, they face a team from a neighbouring group bracket; if they finish second, the opponent changes accordingly.

The semi-finals and Final are staged at MetLife Stadium (New York/NJ) and the designated semi-final venues. If England reach the knockout stages, fans should begin making contingency plans for Final weekend travel — accommodation near MetLife Stadium in July should be booked as a precaution now.

UK Time Zone Guide — Every Host City

All 2026 World Cup matches are played during British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1). The host cities span four US/Canadian/Mexican time zones:

The practical implication for UK fans watching at home:

• East Coast matches (New York, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston) are the most watchable from the UK. A 3pm ET kick-off finishes around 10pm BST — perfectly reasonable. Even a 7pm ET kick-off, finishing around 2am, is manageable for big games.
• Central Time matches (Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, all Mexico venues) add another hour. A 7pm CT kick-off ends around 3am BST — feasible for quarter-finals, difficult for group stage.
• Pacific matches (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver) are genuinely the hardest for UK fans watching at home. A late kick-off in LA ends around 4–5am BST. Semi-finals and the Final, however, are unlikely to be held at West Coast venues for precisely this global broadcast reason.

The Final at MetLife Stadium (East Coast, New Jersey) will be broadly accessible for UK fans watching at home — a standard evening kick-off would put it ending around midnight to 1am BST. This is the World Cup Final and the viewing figures in the UK will reflect that.

Knockout Bracket Overview

The 2026 World Cup knockout structure, from the Round of 32 onwards:

Round of 32 (32 teams) — 28 Jun–3 Jul
        ↓
Round of 16 (16 teams) — 4–7 July
        ↓
Quarter-Finals (8 teams) — 9–11 July
        ↓
Semi-Finals (4 teams) — 14–15 July
        ↓
Third-Place Play-off — 18 July (Hard Rock Stadium, Miami)
        ↓
Final (MetLife Stadium, NJ) — 19 July

The Round of 32 is the new addition in the 2026 format — essentially a pre-Round of 16 round that doesn't exist in the 32-team format UK fans are used to. The 24 group stage qualifiers (top two from each of the 12 groups) join the 8 best third-placed teams for a round of 32 matches. These matches run over five days in early July.

From the Round of 16 onwards, the tournament follows familiar single-elimination logic. The Final is a single match — no replays, no second legs. For England, that means from the Round of 32 onwards, every match is knockout football.

Where to Watch in the UK

BBC and ITV Broadcast Rights

BBC and ITV hold UK broadcast rights for the 2026 World Cup. This means:

• All matches are free to air — no subscription required
• BBC coverage on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
• ITV coverage on ITV1 and ITVX
• Both broadcasters will cover all England matches; group stage matches between other nations will be split between the two channels

For late-night matches: BBC iPlayer and ITVX both support live streaming and offer a replay/catch-up function. A Pacific Coast match at 3am BST can be caught up on the following morning without spoilers — though avoiding social media for that long is, historically, an optimistic plan.

Pub and Fan Zone Viewing

Every major UK city will have pubs and fan zones screening tournament matches. For England matches specifically:

• Early rounds: Most pubs will screen group stage matches regardless of kick-off time. Expect dedicated screening events with the standard pre-match atmosphere starting 2–3 hours before kick-off.
• Late kick-offs: Some venues will stay open for special licences for England knockout matches. Check with your local licensing authority — emergency late licences are typically granted for England semi-finals and finals.
• Fan zones: Major cities (London, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh) typically operate official fan zones for major tournaments. Announcements for 2026 fan zone locations in UK cities should appear closer to June.

Ticket Information

Tickets for the 2026 World Cup were sold through the official tournament ticketing platform in multiple phases — a ballot system followed by first-come-first-served sales. At this stage (May 2026), the primary sales phases have closed for most matches.

What is still available:

• The official tournament resale platform allows ticket holders to resell tickets through authorised channels
• Hospitality packages through authorised hospitality providers may still have availability for some knockout matches
• The FA England Supporters Travel Club may have supporter allocations for England knockout matches — check FA.com

Anti-touting warning: Counterfeit and fraudulent tickets are a serious and well-documented risk at major tournaments. Only purchase through the official tournament ticketing platform or the FA's supporter allocation. Third-party resellers advertising on social media, classified sites, or unsolicited emails carry extreme risk. Verify any ticket against the official platform before paying.

Do not purchase World Cup tickets from any site not explicitly authorised by the tournament organisers or your national football association.

Planning Around the Schedule — Practical Advice

For fans still planning travel in the next few weeks:

June (Group Stage) — Very Limited

Most June match-week accommodation, flights, and tickets are now fully booked or extremely expensive near venues. If you have tickets and travel arranged, you are well positioned. If not, the realistic options are: follow the tournament remotely from the UK, or target July knockout travel.

July (Knockouts) — Still Plannable

Accommodation and flights for July knockout venues — particularly if England progress — are still bookable at reasonable prices for venues not yet confirmed as knockout hosts. Semi-final and Final weekend (MetLife Stadium, NJ, 18–19 July) is worth booking speculatively if budget allows, accepting that cancellation may be needed.

Watching from UK — Full Coverage

Every match is free to air on BBC and ITV. The schedule runs for 38 days, and even for fans not travelling, a month of World Cup football on British television represents one of the best sporting schedules of the decade.

All group stage data reflects the draw conducted 5 December 2025. Specific kick-off times are subject to final confirmation. Always verify match details via the official tournament website and The FA before booking travel. Group table above is based on the confirmed draw; some group assignments may differ from final verified schedule — check official sources for the authoritative fixture list.