The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just around the corner and you can already feel the atmosphere building with the release of the official anthem,”Dai Dai” by Shakira. It will be the 23rd edition of the tournament and this time, the teams have increased from 32 to 48. The tournament is set to commence on June 11th, 2026 and it will end on July 19, 2026. This will be the first edition of the FIFA World Cup to be jointly hosted by three nations- USA, Canada and Mexico. The venues are spread across sixteen cities with 11 in the USA, 3 in Mexico and 2 in Canada.
In the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup, we witnessed one of the most historic moments in world football, when Lionel Messi got his hands on the World Cup for the first time. It was undoubtedly one of the most cinematic finals in the World Cup with Kylian Mbappe interfering in the great Argentinian dream. The viewers will be in for yet another spectacle this year and there are 4 teams lining up to make their debut in the World Cup- Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.
FIFA 2026 World Cup: Host Country
The North American 2026 bid was a joint bid led by the United States Soccer Federation in
association with the Canadian Soccer Association and the Mexican Football Federation. The voting was held at the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow and the North American bid beat a rival bid by Morocco. USA has previously hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1996 and in contrast, it will be Canada’s first time hosting or co-hosting the marquee tournament.. Mexico has become the first nation to host or co-host the Men’s World Cup three times, including the 1970 and 1986 edition of the FIFA World Cup.
FIFA 2026 World Cup: Format
There has been a significant change in the number of teams as there has been an addition of 16 more teams to the tournament, which makes the tally up to 48. There will be a total of 104 matches in the tournament and the tournament will last 39 days in total. All teams will be split into twelve groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group will qualify along with the eight best third-placed teams progressing to a new round of 32. This is the first major change in the format since 1998 and it was approved by the FIFA Council on March 14, 2023.
Lionel Messi’s Dream Fulfilled: Argentina’s Magical Journey to FIFA World Cup 2022 Glory
It was written in the stars for Argentina in the FIFA 2022 World Cup as they had a dream run in the tournament and their national hero, Lionel Messi got his hands on the World Cup for the first time. However, they weren’t flawless from the beginning as they suffered a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia and the Men in Blue were in despair. They bounced back strongly in the next 2 games as they defeated Mexico and Poland with a margin of 2 goals. Despite the early setback, Argentina managed to claw their way back into the tournament and their form was getting better with every game.
On paper, one would say that Argentina had an easy Round of 16 fixture against Australia but they managed to edge past their opponent with a scoreline of 2-1. Then in the Quarter-Finals, came the clash against Netherlands which was arguably one of the most heated matches in the World Cup. After Argentina secured an early 2-goal lead, Wout Weghorst came off the bench and scored two goals including an injury time goal to push the game to penalty shootouts. At the end, Argentina emerged victorious and in their next fixture, they smashed the Croatian team by 3-0.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup finals went down in history as one of the most iconic finals of all time with plenty of drama and excitement. Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria opened the scoring for Argentina as they secured an early 2-goal lead and the Frenchmen looked totally lost. With just minutes to go on the clock, the defending champions levelled the game with Kylian Mbappe scoring two late goals. It was an end-to-end game as Lionel Messi gave Argentina the lead in extra-time and Kylian Mbappe was at once again to equalise for France. Argentina won the game in penalty shootouts and the footballing world erupted in joy with one of the greatest players of all time being rewarded with what he deserved for a long time.
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FIFA World Cup 2026: The Last Dance of this Era’s Greatest Icons
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the ultimate testament to athletic fitness. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner enters his sixth World Cup not just as a veteran, but as a relentless goal-scoring machine still defying his age. For Ronaldo, North America represents the final frontier to capture the one trophy absent from his triumphant trophy cabinet. Whether leading through sheer will or clinical finishing, his presence ensures Portugal remains a formidable contender in the most celebrated tournament of Football.
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
After reaching the summit in Qatar, Lionel Messi returns to the global stage for one final act of international football. Now in the twilight of his career, the Argentine captain continues to dictate play with a vision that remains unmatched. As the defending champion, Messi’s role has transitioned from the young boy from Rozario who seeked his first World Cup to a player at the peak of powers trying to defend the title. The 2026 FIFA World Cup offers him the rare opportunity to cement his immortality by defending the crown.
Neymar Jr (Brazil)
Neymar’s journey toward 2026 has been a high-stakes race against his own physical limits. As Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, his career has often been a polarizing blend of genius and injury-led breaks. There has been speculation regarding his availability but he has been included in the preliminary squad for Brazil. This tournament serves as his definitive opportunity to emerge from the shadow of Pelé’s legacy and deliver another World Cup to a nation that demands nothing less. For Neymar, it is a final chance to ensure his brilliance is remembered through silverware rather than statistics.
Luka Modrić (Croatia)
Luka Modrić continues to serve as the timeless heartbeat of Croatian football. At 40, his ability to manipulate space and tempo remains a masterclass in midfield for Croatia. He has led his nation to a final and a third-place finish in consecutive tournaments. The Real Madrid legend seeks one last miracle on this storied stage and probably to add another feather to his hat. Modrić’s 2026 campaign is more about the enduring technical elegance that has made him one of the greatest midfielders of his generation.
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
The final architect of Belgium’s "Golden Generation," Kevin De Bruyne remains the premier playmaker of the modern era. This World Cup will be the last for the Belgian and he will be certain about leaving a mark in the tournament. The leadership of the midfielder has been instrumental and his playmaking has been key to their success. This tournament represents his last peak-year opportunity to translate individual genius into a historic international trophy.
FIFA 2026 World Cup: Groups
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GROUP A |
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Mexico
South Africa
South Korea
Czechia
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GROUP B |
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Canada
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Qatar
Switzerland
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GROUP C |
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Brazil
Morocco
Haiti
Scotland
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GROUP D |
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USA
Paraguay
Australia
Turkey
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GROUP E |
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Germany
Curaçao
Ivory Coast
Ecuador
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GROUP F |
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Netherlands
Japan
Sweden
Tunisia
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GROUP G |
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Belgium
Egypt
Iran
New Zealand
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GROUP H |
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Spain
Cape Verde
Saudi Arabia
Uruguay
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GROUP I |
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France
Senegal
Iraq
Norway |
GROUP J |
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Argentina
Algeria
Austria
Jordan
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GROUP K |
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Portugal
DR Congo
Uzbekistan
Colombia
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GROUP L |
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England
Croatia
Ghana
Panama
FIFA World Cup 2026: Squads
Mexico (preliminary)
Goalkeepers: Alex Padilla, Antonio Rodríguez, Carlos Acevedo, Carlos Moreno, Guillermo Ochoa, Raúl Rangel
Defenders: Bryan González, César Montes, Edson Álvarez, Eduardo Águila, Everardo López, Israel Reyes, Jesús Angulo, Jesús Gallardo, Jesús Gómez, Johan Vásquez, Jorge Sánchez, Julián Araujo, Luis Rey, Mateo Chávez, Ramón Juárez, Richard Ledezma, Víctor Guzmán
Midfielders: Alexei Domínguez, Alexis Gutiérrez, Alvaro Fidalgo, Brian Gutiérrez, Carlos Rodríguez, Denzell Garcia, Diego Lainez, Efrain Álvarez, Elias Montiel, Erick Sánchez, Erik Lira, Gilberto Mora, Isaías Violante, Jeremy Márquez, Jordan Carrillo, Jorge Ruvalcaba, Kevin Castañeda, Luis Chávez, Luis Romo, Marcel Ruiz, Obed Vargas, Orbelin Pineda, Jesús Angulo
Forwards: Alexis Vega, Armando González, César Huerta, Germán Berterame, Guillermo Martínez, Julián Quiñones, Raúl Jiménez, Roberto Alvarado, Santiago Giménez
Czechia (preliminary)
Goalkeepers: Lukáš Horníček, Martin Jedlička, Antonín Kinský, Jan Koutný, Matěj Kovář, Jakub Markovič, Jindřich Staněk
Defenders: Vladimír Coufal, David Douděra, Matěj Hadaš, Tomáš Holeš, Robin Hranáč, Štěpán Chaloupek, Václav Jemelka, David Jurásek, Ladislav Krejčí, Karel Spáčil, Adam Ševínský, Martin Vitík, Tomáš Vlček, Jaroslav Zelený, David Zima
Midfielders: Lukáš Ambros, Michal Beran, Pavel Bucha, Lukáš Červ, Kryštof Daněk, Vladimír Darida, Patrik Hellebrand, Adam Karabec, Ondřej Kričfaluši, Tomáš Ladra, David Planka, Lukáš Provod, Matěj Ryneš, Lukáš Sadílek, Michal Sadílek, Hugo Sochůrek, Alexandr Sojka, Tomáš Souček, Pavel Šulc, Denis Višinský
Forwards: Adam Hložek, Tomáš Chorý, Mojmír Chytil, Christophe Kabongo, Jan Kliment, Jan Kuchta, Vasil Kušej, Ondřej Mihálik, Vojtěch Patrák, Václav Sejk, Patrik Schick, Matěj Vydra
Bosnia and Herzegovina (final)
Goalkeepers: Nikola Vasilj, Martin Zlomislić, Osman Hadžikić
Defenders: Sead Kolašinac, Amar Dedić, Nihad Mujakić, Nikola Katić, Tarik Muharemović, Stjepan Radeljić, Dennis Hadžikadunić, Nidal Čelik
Midfielders: Amir Hadžiahmetović, Ivan Šunjić, Ivan Bašić, Dženis Burnić, Ermin Mahmić, Benjamin Tahirović, Amar Memić, Armin Gigović
Forwards: Kerim Alajbegović, Esmir Bajraktarević, Ermedin Demirović, Jovo Lukić, Samed Baždar, Haris Tabaković, Edin Džeko
Qatar (preliminary)
Goalkeepers: Shehab Elleithy, Salah Zakaria, Meshaal Barsham, Mahmoud Abunada
Defenders: Boualem Khoukhi, Pedro Miguel, Sultan Al Brake, Tarek Salman, Al-Hashmi Al-Hussain, Ayoub Al-Alawi, Bassam Al-Rawi, Rayyan Al-Ali, Issa Laye, Lucas Mendes, Mohammed Waad, Niall Mason
Midfielders: Ahmed Fathi, Jassim Gaber, Assim Madibo, Abdulaziz Hatem, Karim Boudiaf, Mohammed Mannai, Homam Al-Amin
Forwards: Almoez Ali, Akram Afif, Tahsin Mohammed, Edmílson Junior, Ahmed Al-Ganehi, Ahmed Alaa, Sebastián Soria, Hassan Al-Haydos, Mubarak Shannan, Mohammed Muntari, Yusuf Abdurisag
Brazil (Preliminary Squad)
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Bento, Hugo Souza, John, Carlos Miguel
Defenders: Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Gabriel Magalhães, Bremer, Léo Pereira, Ibáñez, Alexsandro, Fabrício Bruno, Beraldo, Vitor Reis, Murillo, Wesley, Danilo, Paulo Henrique, Vitinho, Alex Sandro, Douglas Santos, Luciano Juba, Caio Henrique, Kaiki, Carlos Augusto
Midfielders: Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães, Fabinho, Andrey Santos, Danilo, Lucas Paquetá, Gabriel Sara, João Gomes, Andreas Pereira, Joelinton, Gerson, Matheus Pereira
Forwards: Vinicius Jr., Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, Luiz Henrique, Gabriel Martinelli, João Pedro, Neymar, Endrick, Rayan, Antony, Igor Thiago, Pedro, Richarlison, Igor Jesus, Kaio Jorge
Sweden (final)
Goalkeepers: Viktor Johansson, Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Jacob Widell Zetterström
Defenders: Hjalmar Ekdal, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Isak Hien, Emil Holm, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Victor Lindelöf, Eric Smith, Carl Starfelt, Elliot Stroud, Daniel Svensson
Midfielders: Jesper Kalström, Yasin Ayari, Mattias Svanberg, Lucas Bergvall, Besfort Zeneli
Forwards: Taha Ali, Alexander Bernhardsson, Anthony Elanga, Viktor Gyökeres, Alexander Isak, Gustaf Nilsson, Benjamin Nygren, Ken Sema
Argentina (preliminary)
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez, Gerónimo Rulli, Juan Musso, Walter Benítez, Facundo Cambeses, Santiago Beltrán
Defenders: Agustín Giay, Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Nicolás Capaldo, Kevin Mac Allister, Lucas Martínez Quarta, Marcos Senesi, Lisandro Martínez, Nicolás Otamendi, Germán Pezzella, Leonardo Balerdi, Cristian Romero, Lautaro Di Lollo, Zaid Romero, Facundo Medina, Marcos Acuña, Nicolás Tagliafico, Gabriel Rojas
Midfielders: Máximo Perrone, Leandro Paredes, Guido Rodríguez, Aníbal Moreno, Milton Delgado, Alan Varela, Ezequiel Fernández, Rodrigo De Paul, Exequiel Palacios, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Giovani Lo Celso, Nicolás Domínguez, Emiliano Buendía, Valentín Barco
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Nicolás Paz, Franco Mastantuono, Thiago Almada, Tomás Aranda, Nicolás González, Alejandro Garnacho, Giuliano Simeone, Matías Soulé, Claudio Echeverri, Gianluca Prestianni, Santiago Castro, Lautaro Martínez, José Manuel López, Julián Álvarez, Mateo Pellegrino
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2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule
Group A schedule
June 11: Mexico vs South Africa - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
June 11: South Korea vs Czechia - Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
June 18: Czechia vs South Africa - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
June 18: Mexico vs South Korea - Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
June 24: Czechia vs Mexico - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
June 24: South Africa vs South Korea - Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
Group B schedule
June 12: Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina - BMO Field, Toronto
June 13: Qatar vs Switzerland - Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area
June 18: Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina - SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
June 18: Canada vs Qatar - BC Place, Vancouver
June 24: Switzerland vs Canada - BC Place, Vancouver
June 24: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar - Lumen Field, Seattle
Group C schedule
June 13: Brazil vs Morocco - MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
June 13: Haiti vs Scotland - Gillette Stadium, Boston
June 19: Scotland vs Morocco - Gillette Stadium, Boston
June 19: Brazil vs Haiti - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
June 24: Scotland vs Brazil - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
June 24: Morocco vs Haiti - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Group D schedule
June 12: USA vs Paraguay - SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
June 13: Australia vs Turkiye - BC Place, Vancouver
June 19: USA vs Australia - Lumen Field, Seattle
June 19: Turkiye vs Paraguay - Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area
June 25: Turkiye vs USA - SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
June 25: Paraguay vs Australia - Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area
Group E schedule
June 14: Germany vs Curacao - NRG Stadium, Houston
June 14: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
June 20: Germany vs Ivory Coast - BMO Field, Toronto
June 20: Ecuador vs Curacao - Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
June 25: Ecuador vs Germany - MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
June 25: Curacao vs Ivory Coast - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Group F schedule
June 14: Netherlands vs Japan - AT&T Stadium, Dallas
June 14: Sweden vs Tunisia - Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
June 20: Netherlands vs Sweden- NRG Stadium, Houston
June 20: Tunisia vs Japan - Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
June 25: Japan vs Sweden- AT&T Stadium, Dallas
June 25: Tunisia vs Netherlands - Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Group G schedule
June 15: Iran vs New Zealand - SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
June 15: Belgium vs Egypt - Lumen Field, Seattle
June 21: Belgium vs Iran - SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
June 21: New Zealand vs Egypt - BC Place, Vancouver
June 26: Egypt vs Iran - Lumen Field, Seattle
June 26: New Zealand vs Belgium - BC Place, Vancouver
Group H schedule
June 15: Spain vs Cape Verde - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
June 15: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
June 21: Spain vs Saudi Arabia - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
June 21: Uruguay vs Cape Verde - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
June 26: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia - NRG Stadium, Houston
June 26: Uruguay vs Spain - Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
Group I schedule
June 16: France vs Senegal - MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
June 16: Iraq vs Norway - Gillette Stadium, Boston
June 22: France vs Iraq - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
June 22: Norway vs Senegal - MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
June 26: Norway vs France - Gillette Stadium, Boston
June 26: Senegal vs Iraq - BMO Field, Toronto
Group J schedule
June 16: Argentina vs Algeria - Arrowhead Stadium - Kansas City
June 16: Austria vs Jordan - Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area
June 22: Argentina vs Austria - AT&T Stadium, Dallas
June 22: Jordan vs Algeria - Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area
June 27: Algeria vs Austria - Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
June 27: Jordan vs Argentina - AT&T Stadium, Dallas
Group K schedule
June 17: Portugal vs Democratic Republic of Congo - NRG Stadium, Houston
June 17: Uzbekistan vs Colombia - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
June 23: Portugal vs Uzbekistan - NRG Stadium, Houston
June 23: Colombia vs Democratic Republic of Congo - Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
June 27: Colombia vs Portugal - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
June 27: Democratic Republic of Congo vs Uzbekistan - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Group L schedule
June 17: England vs Croatia - AT&T Stadium, Dallas
June 17: Ghana vs Panama - BMO Field, Toronto
June 23: England vs Ghana - Gillette Stadium, Boston
June 23: Panama vs Croatia - BMO Field, Toronto
June 27: Panama vs England - MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
June 27: Croatia vs Ghana - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Round of 32 schedule
June 28: Match 73 - Runner up Group A vs Runner up Group B - SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
June 29: Match 76 - Winner Group C vs Runner up Group F - NRG Stadium, Houston
June 29: Match 74 - Winner Group E vs 3rd Group A/B/C/D/F - Gillette Stadium, Boston
June 29: Match 75 - Winner Group F vs Runner up Group C - Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
June 30: Match 78 - Runner up Group E vs Runner up Group I - AT&T Stadium, Dallas
June 30: Match 77 - Winner Group I vs 3rd Group C/D/F/G/H - MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
June 30: Match 79 - Winner Group A vs 3rd Group C/E/F/H/I - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
July 1: Match 80 - Winner Group L vs 3rd Group E/H/I/J/K - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
July 1: Match 82 - Winner Group G vs 3rd Group A/E/H/I/J - Lumen Field, Seattle
July 1: Match 81 - Winner Group D vs 3rd Group B/E/F/I/J - Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area
July 2: Match 84 - Winner Group H vs Runner up Group J - SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
July 2: Match 83 - Runner up Group K vs Runner up Group L - BMO Field, Toronto
July 2: Match 85 - Winner Group B vs 3rd Group E/F/G/I/J - BC Place, Vancouver
July 3: Match 88 - Runner up Group D vs Runner up Group G - AT&T Stadium, Dallas
July 3: Match 86 - Winner Group J vs Runner up Group H - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
July 3: Match 87 - Winner Group K vs 3rd Group D/E/I/J/L - Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Round of 16 schedule
July 4: Match 90 - Winner Match 73 vs Winner Match 75 - NRG Stadium, Houston
July 4: Match 89 - Winner Match 74 vs Winner Match 77 - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
July 5: Match 91 - Winner Match 76 vs Winner Match 78 - MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
July 5: Match 92 - Winner Match 79 vs Winner Match 80 - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
July 6: Match 93 - Winner Match 83 vs Winner Match 84 - AT&T Stadium, Dallas
July 6: Match 94 - Winner Match 81 vs Winner Match 82 - Lumen Field, Seattle
July 7: Match 95 - Winner Match 86 vs Winner Match 88 - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
July 7: Match 96 - Winner Match 85 vs Winner Match 87 - BC Place, Vancouver
Quarterfinal schedule
July 9: Match 97 - Winner Match 89 vs Winner Match 90 - Gillette Stadium, Boston
July 10: Match 98 - Winner Match 93 vs Winner Match 94 - SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
July 11: Match 99 - Winner Match 91 vs Winner Match 92 - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
July 11: Match 100 - Winner Match 95 vs Winner Match 96 - Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Semifinal schedule
July 14: Match 101 - Winner Match 97 vs Winner Match 98 - AT&T Stadium, Dallas
July 15: Match 102 - Winner Match 99 vs Winner Match 100 - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Third-place game
July 18: Match 103 - Loser Match 101 vs Loser Match 102 - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Final
July 19: Match 104 - Winner Match 101 vs Winner Match 102 - MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
FIFA World Cup 2026: Broadcasting
Regarding television, there are no private buyers for the rights in India as of now. Consequently, the tournament will be telecasted on Doordarshan. As a mandatory sharing event of national importance, the public broadcaster will ensure free-to-air access for fans across the country via its DD Sports channel.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Streaming Rights
The digital landscape remains under speculation, with no major streaming platforms currently securing exclusive rights for the Indian market. While discussions continue behind the scenes, fans may currently look toward FIFA+ for supplementary content. Without a private digital partner, the focus remains on whether a last-minute streaming deal will emerge, like Jio in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
