Clear your schedule. The FIFA World Cup 2026 has arrived!

From global icons like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane to emerging talents such as Lamine Yamal, Arda Guler, Yan Diomande and others, the world’s finest footballers will gather across North America for the sport’s biggest spectacle.

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As the 39-day tournament unfolds across the United States, Canada and Mexico, here are the essential dates and headline fixtures to mark on your calendar:

• June 11: Mexico vs South Africa – the tournament kicks off in Mexico City

• June 12: Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina; USA vs Paraguay – opening fixtures for the other host nations

• June 14: Germany vs Curacao – Curacao become the smallest country ever to feature at a World Cup

• June 15: Spain vs Cape Verde – Cape Verde make their first World Cup appearance

• June 16: Argentina vs Algeria; Austria vs Jordan – Argentina launch their title defence as Lionel Messi begins his sixth World Cup; Jordan play their debut match at the tournament

• June 17: Portugal vs Democratic Republic of the Congo; Uzbekistan vs Colombia – Cristiano Ronaldo appears in his sixth World Cup; Uzbekistan compete on football’s biggest stage for the first time

• June 27: Conclusion of the group stage

• June 28–July 3: Round of 32

• July 4–7: Round of 16

• July 9–11: Quarterfinals

• July 14–15: Semifinals

• July 18: Third-place playoff

• July 19: World Cup final

The standout group-stage clashes:

Listed chronologically

• June 13: Brazil vs Morocco (Group C)

• June 14: Netherlands vs Japan (Group F)

• June 16: France vs Senegal (Group I)

• June 17: England vs Croatia (Group L)

• June 18: Mexico vs South Korea (Group A)

• June 20: Germany vs Ivory Coast (Group E)

• June 20: Netherlands vs Sweden (Group F)

• June 22: Norway vs Senegal (Group I)

• June 22: Argentina vs Austria (Group J)

• June 24: South Africa vs South Korea (Group A)

• June 25: Japan vs Sweden (Group F)

• June 26: Norway vs France (Group I)

• June 26: Uruguay vs Spain (Group H)

• June 27: Colombia vs Portugal (Group K)

The FIFA World Cup gets under way on June 11. Follow comprehensive coverage throughout the tournament, including breaking news, match previews, live text commentary, updated group tables, real-time scores and the full match schedule.