Giant replicas of the FIFA 2026 World Cup trophy and ball.
| Photo Credit: Henry Romero
FIFA World Cup 2026 is being played across Canada, Mexico, and the USA, with stars like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kylian Mbappe keeping the high-octane football matches nail-biting. The event began on June 11, 2026, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and will conclude on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA. The knockout matches begin on June 29, with South Africa playing tournament co-host Canada.
The 2026 World Cup is the first time the tournament is being held across three nations, with an expanded roster of 48 nations competing in total.
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Here’s your guide about the teams that are competing, with the time of the matches according to Indian Standard Time (IST).
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Dates and timings of matches in IST.
Round of 32
| Teams | Date | Time (IST) | Winner |
| 1: South Africa vs Canada | June 29, 2026 | 12.30 am | Canada |
| 2: Brazil vs Japan | June 29, 2026 | 10.30 pm | Brazil |
| 3: Germany vs Paraguay | June 30, 2026 | 2.00 am | Paraguay |
| 4: Morocco vs Netherlands | June 30, 2026 | 6.30 am | Morocco |
| 5: Côte d’Ivoire vs Norway | June 30, 2026 | 10.30 pm | Norway |
| 6: France vs Sweden | July 1, 2026 | 2.30 am | France |
| 7: Mexico vs Ecuador | July 1, 2026 | 6.30 am | Mexico |
| 8: England vs DR Congo | July 1, 2026 | 9.30 pm | TBD |
| 9: Belgium vs Senegal | July 2, 2026 | 1.30 am | TBD |
| 10: USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina | July 2, 2026 | 5.30 am | TBD |
| 11: Spain vs Austria | July 3, 2026 | 12.30 am | TBD |
| 12: Portugal vs Croatia | July 3, 2026 | 4.30 am | TBD |
| 13: Switzerland vs Algeria | July 3, 2026 | 8.30 am | TBD |
| 14: Australia vs Egypt | July 3, 2026 | 11.30 pm | TBD |
| 15: Argentina vs Cape Verde | July 4, 2026 | 3.30 am | TBD |
| 16: Columbia vs Ghana | July 4, 2026 | 7.00 am | TBD |
Round of 16
| Teams | Date | Time (IST) | Winner |
| A: Canada vs Morocco | July 4, 2026 | 10.30 pm | |
| B: Paraguay vs Match 6 winner | July 5, 2026 | 2.30 am | |
| C: Brazil vs Norway | July 6, 2026 | 1.30 am | |
| D: Match 7 winner vs Match 8 winner | July 6, 2026 | 5.30 am | |
| E: Match 11 winner vs Match 12 winner | July 7, 2026 | 12:30 am | |
| F: Match 9 winner vs Match 10 winner | July 7, 2026 | 5.30 am | |
| G: Match 14 winner vs Match 15 winner | July 7, 2026 | 9.30 pm | |
| H: Match 13 winner vs Match 16 winner | July 8, 2026 | 1.30 am |
Quarterfinals
| Teams | Date | Time (IST) |
| Q1: Match A winner vs Match B winner | July 10, 2026 | 1.30 am |
| Q2: Match E winner vs Match F winner | July 11, 2026 | 12.30 am |
| Q3: Match C winner vs Match D winner | July 12, 2026 | 2.30 am |
| Q4: Match G winner vs Match H winner | July 12, 2026 | 6.30 am |
Semifinals
| Teams | Date | Time (IST) |
| S1: Q1 winner vs Q2 winner | July 15, 2026 | 5.30 am |
| S2: Q3 winner vs Q3 winner | July 16, 2026 | 5.30 am |
Final
| Teams | Date | Time (IST) | Winner |
| Final: S1 vs S2 | July 20, 2026 | 12.30 am | TBD |
‘TBD’ is an abbreviation of ‘To be decided’. The knockout matches would decide which countries play against each other.
Published – June 25, 2026 04:42 pm IST
