Pending confirmation
- Kickoff times for non-opening Group A and B fixtures may shift; FIFA may publish refined times closer to matchday. Check the FIFA match centre before traveling to a specific match.
- Individual TV channel assignments (FOX vs FS1, Telemundo vs Universo) for some first-week matches are typically announced 1–2 weeks before kickoff. The watch hub will update once FOX Sports publishes its complete schedule.
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First week · World Cup 2026
First week · World Cup 2026
World Cup 2026: the first week.
Quick answer
The tournament opens with Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca on Thursday, June 11 at 3:00 PM ET. Day 1 closes with South Korea vs Czechia in Guadalajara at 10:00 PM ET. Day 2 introduces Canada and the USA — Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto at 3:00 PM ET, then USA vs Paraguay in Inglewood / Los Angeles at 9:00 PM ET. The first weekend (June 13) packs three matches: Qatar vs Switzerland in San Francisco Bay Area, Brazil vs Morocco at MetLife in New York / New Jersey, and Haiti vs Scotland at Gillette in Boston. All times are ET.
Thursday, June 11
Friday, June 12
FAQ
First week: FAQs
When does the 2026 World Cup start?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup opens on Thursday, June 11, 2026 with Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Kickoff is 3:00 PM ET.
How many matches are in the first week?
The first three days (June 11–13) feature seven confirmed matches across the three host countries. From June 14 onwards, the schedule expands to four matches per day, with all 48 teams playing at least once by June 18.
When does the USA play its first match?
The USMNT opens on Friday, June 12 against Paraguay at the Los Angeles host venue (Inglewood). Kickoff is 9:00 PM ET. The match airs on FOX in English and Telemundo in Spanish.
When does Canada play its first match?
Canada opens on Friday, June 12 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto. Kickoff is 3:00 PM ET. The match airs on FOX in English and Telemundo in Spanish.
Are all first-week kickoff times confirmed?
Match dates and host cities are confirmed. Kickoff times for the opening matches in each group are confirmed at the date this page was published; FIFA reserves the right to fine-tune times closer to kickoff. Check fifa.com match-centre for any updates.
How can I watch the first-week matches in the US?
Every match airs on FOX (English) and Telemundo (Spanish) in the US. Group-stage openers on the FOX broadcast network and Telemundo are free over the air with an HD antenna. FOX One streams everything in English; Peacock streams it all in Spanish.