FIFA World Cup 2026 is being played across Canada, Mexico, and the USA, with stars like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kylian Mbappe keeping the high-octane football matches nail-biting.
The event began on June 11, 2026, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and will conclude on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA.
The knockout matches begin on June 29, with South Africa playing tournament co-host Canada.
The 2026 World Cup is the first time the tournament is being held across three nations, with an expanded roster of 48 nations competing in total. - Here’s your guide about the teams that are competing, with the time of the matches according to Indian Standard Time (IST).
The Hindu’s LIVE coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Dates and timings of matches in IST.
Round of 32 Countries playingDateTime (IST)1: South Africa vs Canada June 29, 202612.30 am 2: Brazil vs JapanJune 29, 202610.30 pm 3: Germany vs ParaguayJune 30, 20262.00 am 4: Morocco vs NetherlandsJune 30, 20266.30 am 5: Côte d'Ivoire vs NorwayJune 30, 202610.30 pm6: France vs SwedenJuly 1, 20262.30 am 7: Mexico vs EcuadorJuly 1, 20266.30 am 8: England vs DR Congo July 1, 20269.30 pm 9: Belgium vs SenegalJuly 2, 20261.30 am 10: USA vs Bosnia and HerzegovinaJuly 2, 20265.30 am 11: Spain vs AustriaJuly 3, 202612.30 am 12: Portugal vs CroatiaJuly 3, 20264.30 am 13: Switzerland vs AlgeriaJuly 3, 20268.30 am14: Australia vs EgyptJuly 3, 202611.30 pm15: Argentina vs Cape VerdeJuly 4, 20263.30 am16: Columbia vs GhanaJuly 4, 20267.00 am ‘TBD’ is an abbreviation of ‘To be decided’.
The knockout matches would decide which countries play against each other.
