Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo set for final face off, here’s when and where to watch

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is officially on the horizon and the full match schedule is now available to the public. The announcement was made following the drawing ceremony held in Washington DC. For the first time, 48 teams will take part in the tournament, which is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. This expansion will result in a record number of matches and venues across North America.

The historic event begins on June 11, 2026 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Mexico will play against South Africa in their opening match. The stadium, which hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup openings, will once again kick off the tournament. The United States will begin its campaign against Paraguay the next day in Los Angeles, while Canada will play the winner of the UEFA Playoff A in Toronto.

Reigning champion Argentina will begin its title defense in Group J. In its first match, it will face Algeria, then Austria and Jordan. Other important early matches include Brazil v Morocco, Germany v Curacao, Netherlands v Japan and England v Croatia. The tournament will cover major cities such as New York, Houston, Miami, Vancouver, Dallas and Guadalajara. It promises global travel, drama and spectacle.

In the 38-day competition, teams will compete in the extended group stage. They will then move on to a larger qualifying bracket, starting with Round 32. The tournament will culminate with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026, where the next world champion will be crowned.

The Messi-Ronaldo rivalry has defined modern football for the last two decades. However, Messi received the World Cup trophy in Qatar in 2022.

Argentina and Portugal were in pot 1. Therefore, they could not be placed in the same group. Messi’s Argentina are in Group J along with Algeria, Austria and Jordan. Ronaldo’s Portugal are in Group K with Colombia, Uzbekistan and a FIFA play-off team (Jamaica, Congo or New Caledonia).

Both teams are on the same track, meaning they could potentially meet before the final of the tournament.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Full schedule

11 June

Mexico – South Africa (Group A) – Mexico City

South Korea vs UEFA Playoff D (Group A) – Guadalajara

12 June

Canada vs UEFA Playoff A (Group B) – Toronto

USA – Paraguay (Group D) – Los Angeles

13 June

Brazil – Morocco (Group C) – Boston or New York/New Jersey

Australia vs UEFA Playoff C (Group D) – Vancouver

Haiti – Scotland (Group C) – Boston or New York/New Jersey

Qatar – Switzerland (Group B) – San Francisco Bay Area

14 June

Germany – Curacao (Group E) – Philadelphia or Houston

Ivory Coast – Ecuador (Group E) – Philadelphia or Houston

Netherlands – Japan (Group F) – Dallas or Monterrey

UEFA Playoff B – Tunisia (Group F) – Dallas or Monterrey

15 June

Spain – Cape Verde (Group H) – Miami or Atlanta

Saudi Arabia – Uruguay (Group H) – Miami or Atlanta

Belgium – Egypt (Group G) – Los Angeles or Seattle

Iran – New Zealand (Group G) – Los Angeles or Seattle

16 June

France – Senegal (Group I) – New York/New Jersey or Boston

FIFA Playoff 2 – Norway (Group I) – New York/New Jersey or Boston

Argentina – Algeria (Group J) – Kansas City or San Francisco Bay Area

Austria – Jordan (Group J) – Kansas City or San Francisco Bay Area

17 June

England – Croatia (Group L) – Toronto or Dallas

Ghana-Panama (Group L) – Toronto or Dallas

Portugal vs FIFA Playoff 1 (Group K) – Houston or Mexico City

Uzbekistan – Colombia (Group K) – Houston or Mexico City

18 June

UEFA Playoff D – South Africa (Group A) – Atlanta

Switzerland vs UEFA Playoff A (Group A) – Los Angeles

Canada – Qatar (Group B) – Vancouver

Mexico – South Korea (Group A) – Guadalajara

19 June

Brazil – Haiti (Group C) – Philadelphia or New York/New Jersey

Scotland – Morocco (Group C) – Philadelphia or New York/New Jersey

UEFA Playoff C – Paraguay (Group D) – San Francisco Bay Area

USA – Australia (Group D) – Seattle

20 June

Germany – Ivory Coast (Group E) – Toronto or Kansas City

Ecuador – Curacao (Group E) – Toronto or Kansas City

Netherlands vs UEFA Playoff B (Group F) – Houston or Monterrey

Tunisia – Japan (Group F) – Houston or Monterrey

21 June

Spain – Saudi Arabia (Group H) – Miami or Atlanta

Uruguay – Cape Verde (Group H) – Miami or Atlanta

Belgium – Iran (Group G) – Los Angeles or Vancouver

New Zealand – Egypt (Group G) – Los Angeles or Vancouver

June 22

France – FIFA Playoff 2 (Group I) – New York/New Jersey or Philadelphia

Norway – Senegal (Group I) – New York/New Jersey or Philadelphia

Argentina v Austria (Group J) – Dallas or San Francisco Bay Area

Jordan vs Algeria (Group J) – Dallas or San Francisco Bay Area

June 23

England v Ghana (Group L) – Boston or Toronto

Panama vs Croatia (Group L) – Boston or Toronto

Portugal – Uzbekistan (Group K) – Houston or Guadalajara

Colombia vs FIFA Playoff 1 (Group K) – Houston or Guadalajara

24 June

Scotland-Brazil (Group C) – Miami or Atlanta

Morocco – Haiti (Group C) – Miami or Atlanta

Canada – Switzerland (Group B) – Vancouver

UEFA Playoff A – Qatar (Group B) – Seattle

Mexico vs UEFA Playoff D (Group A) – Mexico City

South Korea – South Africa (Group A) – Monterrey

25 June

Ecuador – Germany (Group E) – Philadelphia or New York/New Jersey

Curacao – Ivory Coast (Group E) – Philadelphia or New York/New Jersey

Tunisia – Netherlands (Group F) – Dallas or Kansas City

Japan vs UEFA Playoff B (Group F) – Dallas or Kansas City

USA vs UEFA Playoff C (Group D) – Los Angeles

Paraguay – Australia (Group D) – San Francisco Bay Area

26 June

Norway – France (Group I) – Boston or Toronto

Senegal – FIFA Playoff 2 (Group I) – Boston or Toronto

New Zealand – Belgium (Group G) – Seattle or Vancouver

Egypt – Iran (Group G) – Seattle or Vancouver

Uruguay vs Spain (Group H) – Houston or Guadalajara

Cape Verde – Saudi Arabia (Group H) – Houston or Guadalajara

27 June

Panama – England (Group L) – New York/New Jersey or Philadelphia

Croatia v Ghana (Group L) – New York/New Jersey or Philadelphia

Jordan vs Argentina (Group J) – Kansas City or Dallas

Algeria – Austria (Group J) – Kansas City or Dallas

Colombia – Portugal (Group K) – Miami or Atlanta

FIFA Playoff 1 – Uzbekistan (Group K) – Miami or Atlanta

Qualifying Round Schedule

Round 32: June 28 – July 3

Round of 16: 4 July – 7 July

Quarter finals: 9 July – 11 July

Semifinals: July 14 and 15 at AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas) and Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)

Third-place game: July 18 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens

World Cup Final: July 19, at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

When and where to watch FIFA world cup in India?

As of now, the official broadcasters for the main tournament in India have not been confirmed. However, Shrachi Sports Entertainment Network (SSEN), a dedicated sports OTT platform, has bid for the rights and plans to broadcast the entire tournament for free if successful.