The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off this week with a new format for FIFA’s giant 48-team tournament. With the final squads being named, teams will now prepare for their first group stage games in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Excitement is building and history will be made, as players carve out their own legacies to join some of the greatest footballers in Fifa World Cup history.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature 104 matches, up 40 since Qatar World Cup 2022, while Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo likely to play on this stage for the last time in their glittering careers. The FIFA World Cup 2026 match schedule highlights which games will be played at specific times, taking into account time zone differences. The time difference arises because the tournament will be played in three countries: the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Football fans in Kenya will be able to follow the matches live and track the fixtures on the correct date without missing any action. Whether as a football fan you will be watching the knockouts or kickoffs, this guide will help you stay updated through SportPesa.
Read Also: FIFA World Cup 2026
World Cup 2026 groups
For the FIFA World Cup 2026, these are the groups that will be playing at different stadiums across the three countries.
| Groups | Teams |
| A | Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic |
| B | Canada, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland |
| C | Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland |
| D | United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey |
| E | Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador |
| F | Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia |
| G | Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand |
| H | Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay |
| I | France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway |
| J | Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan |
| K | Portugal, Congo DR, Uzbekistan, Colombia |
| L | England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama |
World Cup 2026 group schedule
Listed below is how the different teams will be on the field under their specific groups.
| Date (Kenya) | Group | Team 1 | Team 2 | City | Kenyan Time |
| 11/06/2026 | A | Mexico 🇲🇽 | South Africa 🇿🇦 | Mexico City | 10pm |
| 12/06/2026 | A | South Korea 🇰🇷 | Czech Republic 🇨🇿 | Guadalajara | 5am* |
| 12/06/2026 | B | Canada 🇨🇦 | Bosnia & Herzegovina 🇧🇦 | Toronto | 10pm |
| 13/06/2026 | D | USA 🇺🇸 | Paraguay 🇵🇾 | Los Angeles | 4am* |
| 13/06/2026 | B | Qatar 🇶🇦 | Switzerland 🇨🇭 | San Francisco | 10pm |
| 14/06/2026 | C | Brazil 🇧🇷 | Morocco 🇲🇦 | New York/New Jersey | 1am* |
| 14/06/2026 | C | Haiti 🇭🇹 | Scotland 🏴 | Boston | 4am* |
| 14/06/2026 | D | Australia 🇦🇺 | Turkey 🇹🇷 | Vancouver | 7am* |
| 14/06/2026 | E | Germany 🇩🇪 | Curacao 🇨🇼 | Houston | 9pm |
| 14/06/2026 | F | Netherlands 🇳🇱 | Japan 🇯🇵 | Dallas | 12am* (midnight) |
| 15/06/2026 | E | Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 | Ecuador 🇪🇨 | Philadelphia | 2am* |
| 15/06/2026 | F | Sweden 🇸🇪 | Tunisia 🇹🇳 | Monterrey | 5am* |
| 15/06/2026 | H | Spain 🇪🇸 | Cape Verde 🇨🇻 | Atlanta | 7pm |
| 15/06/2026 | G | Belgium 🇧🇪 | Egypt 🇪🇬 | Seattle | 10pm |
| 16/06/2026 | H | Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 | Uruguay 🇺🇾 | Miami | 1am* |
| 16/06/2026 | G | Iran 🇮🇷 | New Zealand 🇳🇿 | Los Angeles | 4am* |
| 16/06/2026 | I | France 🇫🇷 | Senegal 🇸🇳 | New York/New Jersey | 10pm |
| 17/06/2026 | I | Iraq 🇮🇶 | Norway 🇳🇴 | Boston | 1am* |
| 17/06/2026 | J | Argentina 🇦🇷 | Algeria 🇩🇿 | Kansas City | 4am* |
| 17/06/2026 | J | Austria 🇦🇹 | Jordan 🇯🇴 | San Francisco | 7am* |
| 17/06/2026 | K | Portugal 🇵🇹 | DR Congo 🇨🇩 | Houston | 9pm |
| 18/06/2026 | L | England | Croatia 🇭🇷 | Dallas | 12am* (midnight) |
| 18/06/2026 | L | Ghana 🇬🇭 | Panama 🇵🇦 | Toronto | 3am* |
| 18/06/2026 | K | Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 | Colombia 🇨🇴 | Mexico City | 6am* |
| 18/06/2026 | A | Czech Republic 🇨🇿 | South Africa 🇿🇦 | Atlanta | 7pm |
| 18/06/2026 | B | Switzerland 🇨🇭 | Bosnia & Herzegovina 🇧🇦 | Los Angeles | 10pm |
| 19/06/2026 | B | Canada 🇨🇦 | Qatar 🇶🇦 | Vancouver | 1am* |
| 19/06/2026 | A | Mexico 🇲🇽 | South Korea 🇰🇷 | Guadalajara | 5am* |
| 19/06/2026 | D | USA 🇺🇸 | Australia 🇦🇺 | Seattle | 10pm |
| 20/06/2026 | C | Scotland | Morocco 🇲🇦 | Boston | 1am* |
| 20/06/2026 | C | Brazil 🇧🇷 | Haiti 🇭🇹 | Philadelphia | 4am* |
| 20/06/2026 | D | Turkey 🇹🇷 | Paraguay 🇵🇾 | San Francisco | 7am* |
| 20/06/2026 | F | Netherlands 🇳🇱 | Sweden 🇸🇪 | Houston | 9pm |
| 20/06/2026 | E | Germany 🇩🇪 | Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 | Toronto | 10pm |
| 21/06/2026 | E | Ecuador 🇪🇨 | Curacao 🇨🇼 | Kansas City | 2am* |
| 21/06/2026 | F | Tunisia 🇹🇳 | Japan 🇯🇵 | Monterrey | 5am* |
| 21/06/2026 | H | Spain 🇪🇸 | Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 | Atlanta | 7pm |
| 21/06/2026 | G | Belgium 🇧🇪 | Iran 🇮🇷 | Los Angeles | 10pm |
| 22/06/2026 | H | Uruguay 🇺🇾 | Cape Verde 🇨🇻 | Miami | 1am* |
| 22/06/2026 | G | New Zealand 🇳🇿 | Egypt 🇪🇬 | Vancouver | 4am* |
| 22/06/2026 | J | Argentina 🇦🇷 | Austria 🇦🇹 | Dallas | 9pm |
| 22/06/2026 | I | France 🇫🇷 | Iraq 🇮🇶 | Philadelphia | 12am* (midnight) |
| 23/06/2026 | I | Norway 🇳🇴 | Senegal 🇸🇳 | New York/New Jersey | 3am* |
| 23/06/2026 | J | Jordan 🇯🇴 | Algeria 🇩🇿 | San Francisco | 6am* |
| 23/06/2026 | K | Portugal 🇵🇹 | Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 | Houston | 9pm |
| 23/06/2026 | L | England 🏴 | Ghana 🇬🇭 | Boston | 10pm |
| 24/06/2026 | L | Panama 🇵🇦 | Croatia 🇭🇷 | Toronto | 2am* |
| 24/06/2026 | K | Colombia 🇨🇴 | DR Congo 🇨🇩 | Guadalajara | 5am* |
| 24/06/2026 | B | Switzerland 🇨🇭 | Canada 🇨🇦 | Vancouver | 10pm |
| 24/06/2026 | B | Bosnia & Herzegovina 🇧🇦 | Qatar 🇶🇦 | Seattle | 10pm |
| 25/06/2026 | C | Scotland | Brazil 🇧🇷 | Miami | 1am* |
| 25/06/2026 | C | Morocco 🇲🇦 | Haiti 🇭🇹 | Atlanta | 1am* |
| 25/06/2026 | A | Czech Republic 🇨🇿 | Mexico 🇲🇽 | Mexico City | 4am* |
| 25/06/2026 | A | South Africa 🇿🇦 | South Korea 🇰🇷 | Monterrey | 4am* |
| 25/06/2026 | E | Ecuador 🇪🇨 | Germany 🇩🇪 | New York/New Jersey | 10pm |
| 25/06/2026 | E | Curacao 🇨🇼 | Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 | Philadelphia | 10pm |
| 26/06/2026 | F | Japan 🇯🇵 | Sweden 🇸🇪 | Dallas | 12am* (midnight) |
| 26/06/2026 | F | Tunisia 🇹🇳 | Netherlands 🇳🇱 | Kansas City | 12am* (midnight) |
| 26/06/2026 | D | Turkey 🇹🇷 | USA 🇺🇸 | Los Angeles | 3am* |
| 26/06/2026 | D | Paraguay 🇵🇾 | Australia 🇦🇺 | San Francisco | 3am* |
| 26/06/2026 | I | Norway 🇳🇴 | France 🇫🇷 | Boston | 10pm |
| 26/06/2026 | I | Senegal 🇸🇳 | Iraq 🇮🇶 | Toronto | 10pm |
| 27/06/2026 | H | Cape Verde 🇨🇻 | Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 | Houston | 2am* |
| 27/06/2026 | H | Uruguay 🇺🇾 | Spain 🇪🇸 | Guadalajara | 2am* |
| 27/06/2026 | G | Egypt 🇪🇬 | Iran 🇮🇷 | Seattle | 5am* |
| 27/06/2026 | G | New Zealand 🇳🇿 | Belgium 🇧🇪 | Vancouver | 5am* |
Also Read: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Fluminense – FIFA Club World Cup: Preview, prediction, team news & lineups
Quick Viewing Guide for Kenyan Fans
For Kenyan fans looking forward to streaming and following the match on SportPesa, these are the key dates and times they will be played.
| US Local Kickoff | Kenyan Time (EAT) |
| 12pm (noon) | 7pm or 8pm Kenya* |
| 3pm | 10pm or 11pm Kenya* |
| 6pm | 1am or 2am* Kenya |
| 8pm | 4am or 5am* Kenya |
| 9pm | 5am or 6am* Kenya |
Knockout stages schedule
| Date | Match | Round | Team 1 | Team 2 | City | Local Time | UK Time |
| 28/06/2026 | 73 | Round of 32 | Runner-up A | Runner-up B | Los Angeles | 12pm | 8pm |
| 29/06/2026 | 74 | Round of 32 | Winner E | 3rd A/B/C/D/F | Boston | 4.30pm | 9.30pm |
| 29/06/2026 | 75 | Round of 32 | Winner F | Runner-up C | Monterrey | 8pm | 2am* |
| 29/06/2026 | 76 | Round of 32 | Winner C | Runner-up F | Houston | 12pm | 6pm |
| 30/06/2026 | 77 | Round of 32 | Winner I | 3rd C/D/F/G/H | New York/New Jersey | 5pm | 10pm |
| 30/06/2026 | 78 | Round of 32 | Runner-up E | Runner-up I | Dallas | 12pm | 6pm |
| 30/06/2026 | 79 | Round of 32 | Winner A | 3rd C/E/F/H/I | Mexico City | 8pm | 2am* |
| 01/07/2026 | 80 | Round of 32 | Winner L | 3rd E/H/I/J/K | Atlanta | 12pm | 5pm |
| 01/07/2026 | 81 | Round of 32 | Winner D | 3rd B/E/F/I/J | San Francisco | 5pm | 1am* |
| 01/07/2026 | 82 | Round of 32 | Winner G | 3rd A/E/H/I/J | Seattle | 1pm | 9pm |
| 02/07/2026 | 83 | Round of 32 | Runner-up K | Runner-up L | Toronto | 7pm | 12am* |
| 02/07/2026 | 84 | Round of 32 | Winner H | Runner-up J | Los Angeles | 12pm | 8pm |
| 02/07/2026 | 85 | Round of 32 | Winner B | 3rd E/F/G/I/J | Vancouver | 8pm | 4am* |
| 03/07/2026 | 86 | Round of 32 | Winner J | Runner-up H | Miami | 6pm | 11pm |
| 03/07/2026 | 87 | Round of 32 | Winner K | 3rd D/E/I/J/L | Kansas City | 8.30pm | 2.30am* |
| 03/07/2026 | 88 | Round of 32 | Runner-up D | Runner-up G | Dallas | 1pm | 7pm |
| 04/07/2026 | 89 | Last-16 | Winner 74 | Winner 77 | Philadelphia | 5pm | 10pm |
| 04/07/2026 | 90 | Last-16 | Winner 73 | Winner 75 | Houston | 12pm | 6pm |
| 05/07/2026 | 91 | Last-16 | Winner 76 | Winner 78 | New York/New Jersey | 4pm | 9pm |
| 05/07/2026 | 92 | Last-16 | Winner 79 | Winner 80 | Mexico City | 7pm | 1am* |
| 06/07/2026 | 93 | Last-16 | Winner 83 | Winner 84 | Dallas | 2pm | 8pm |
| 06/07/2026 | 94 | Last-16 | Winner 81 | Winner 82 | Seattle | 5pm | 1am* |
| 07/07/2026 | 95 | Last-16 | Winner 86 | Winner 88 | Atlanta | 12pm | 5pm |
| 07/07/2026 | 96 | Last-16 | Winner 85 | Winner 87 | Vancouver | 1pm | 9pm |
| 09/07/2026 | 97 | Quarter-final | Winner 89 | Winner 90 | Boston | 4pm | 9pm |
| 10/07/2026 | 98 | Quarter-final | Winner 93 | Winner 94 | Los Angeles | 12pm | 8pm |
| 11/07/2026 | 99 | Quarter-final | Winner 91 | Winner 92 | Miami | 5pm | 10pm |
| 11/07/2026 | 100 | Quarter-final | Winner 95 | Winner 96 | Kansas City | 8pm | 2am* |
| 14/07/2026 | 101 | Semi-final | Winner 97 | Winner 98 | Dallas | 2pm | 8pm |
| 15/07/2026 | 102 | Semi-final | Winner 99 | Winner 100 | Atlanta | 3pm | 8pm |
| 18/07/2026 | 103 | Third-place | Loser 101 | Loser 102 | Miami | 5pm | 10pm |
| 19/07/2026 | 104 | Final | Winner 101 | Winner 102 | New York/New Jersey | 3pm | — |
Key elimination dates
The table below shows different elimination dates of the World Cup tournament.
| Tournament Stage | Description |
| Round of 32 Week | This is the first knockout phase after the group stage, featuring 32 qualifying teams in elimination matches. |
| Round of 16 Stage | The competition narrows further as winners from the Round of 32 compete for quarter-final spots. |
| Quarter-finals | Eight teams remain, competing in high-stakes matches to reach the semi-finals. |
| Semi-finals | The final four teams battle for a place in the World Cup final. |
| Final Weekend | Includes the third-place playoff and the World Cup final to decide the champion. |
Host cities and match venues schedule
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be hosted across the USA, Canada, and Mexico with each playing a unique role in delivering matches throughout different stages of the tournament.
| Host Country | Match Distribution | Tournament Stage Focus | Key Role in 2026 |
| USA | Hosts the majority of matches across multiple cities | Group stage, knockout rounds, semi-finals, final | Main host nation and center of the tournament, including the final match |
| Canada | Hosts selected fixtures in major cities like Vancouver and Toronto | Group stage and early knockout rounds | Provides key venues for group matches and regional fan engagement |
| Mexico | Hosts opening-stage matches in historic stadiums | Opening matches and group stage fixtures | Important role in the tournament kickoff and early group action |
FAQs About World Cup 2026 Schedule
When does the tournament start?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will start on June 11, 2026, with Mexico vs South Africa as the first match..
How many matches will be played?
There will be a total of 104 matches played in the World Cup 2026.
What are the kick-off times?
The kickoff times will be at 12 PM, 3 PM, and 6 PM ET.
Where is the final held?
The final match will be held at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, USA.
Where can I follow fixtures?
Follow all updates, fixtures, and real-time action on the SportPesa website and app
Conclusion
This year’s FIFA World Cup 2026 will be one to remember, with 104 matches being played across three host countries. As teams continue to stream in to different stadiums and fans make the rush hour rush to travel or purchase tickets, Sportpesa has you locked. Sign in today and enjoy the seamless updates on fixtures, bet for your favourite team, and predict on the updated schedules.
