📺World Cup 2026 Guide

FIFA World Cup 2026 TV Schedule

The FIFA World Cup 2026 features 104 matches across 39 days, from the Group Stage opening on 11 June to the Final on 19 July 2026. Here is the complete TV schedule by country, time zone conversion guide, and everything you need to plan your World Cup viewing.

Tournament Start

11 Jun 2026

Mexico vs South Africa

Round of 32

28 Jun

Knockout begins

Semi-finals

14–15 Jul

Final four

The Final

19 Jul 2026

MetLife Stadium, NJ

World Cup 2026 Key Dates & Tournament Stages

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is the largest men's football tournament in history, expanded to 48 teams for the first time. The expanded format creates a Round of 32 between the Group Stage and the traditional Round of 16, adding an extra knockout round compared to previous World Cups.

Stage	Dates	Matches
Group Stage	11 – 27 June 2026	72
Round of 32	28 June – 4 July	16
Round of 16	4 – 7 July 2026	8
Quarter-finals	9 – 12 July 2026	4
Semi-finals	14 – 15 July 2026	2
Third Place Play-off	18 July 2026	1
Final	19 July 2026	1

Typical Kick-off Times by Time Zone

The Group Stage typically features four matches per day. Host city time zones span Eastern Time (ET) in cities like Miami and Boston, Central Time in Dallas and Kansas City, and Mountain Time in cities like Guadalajara. Here are the standard daily kick-off slots converted across key international time zones.

Match Time (ET)	UK (BST)	Germany (CEST)	Australia (AEST)	India (IST)
12:00 PM	5:00 PM	6:00 PM	2:00 AM+1	10:30 PM
3:00 PM	8:00 PM	9:00 PM	5:00 AM+1	1:30 AM+1
6:00 PM	11:00 PM	12:00 AM+1	8:00 AM+1	4:30 AM+1
9:00 PM	2:00 AM+1	3:00 AM+1	11:00 AM+1	7:30 AM+1

+1 = next calendar day. Times based on Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC−4) active during the tournament.

World Cup 2026 TV Channels by Country

Broadcast rights for World Cup 2026 have been sold to official media partners in every region. The following channels have confirmed or expected rights to broadcast matches. Always check your local TV guide for exact match schedules.

🇺🇸 United States

Fox / FS1 / FS2— English, Cable/Satellite/OTA

Telemundo / Universo— Spanish, Cable/Satellite/OTA

Fubo TV— English + Spanish, Streaming

Peacock— Streaming, Subscription

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

ITV / ITVX— Free-to-air, Free Streaming

BBC / iPlayer— Free-to-air, Free Streaming

🇨🇦 Canada

TSN / TSN Direct— English, Subscription

CTV— English, Free-to-air

RDS / TVA Sports— French, Subscription

🇦🇺 Australia

SBS / SBS On Demand— Free-to-air, Free Streaming

Optus Sport— Streaming, Subscription

🇩🇪 Germany

ARD / Das Erste— Free-to-air

ZDF— Free-to-air

World Cup 2026 Time Zone Guide

The FIFA World Cup 2026 hosts matches across multiple time zones in the USA, Canada and Mexico. All official times are typically given in Eastern Time (ET). Use the table below to convert to your local time zone.

Eastern Time (ET)

UTC−5 / UTC−4 DST

New York, Miami, Atlanta

Central Time (CT)

UTC−6 / UTC−5 DST

Dallas, Kansas City, Chicago

Mountain Time (MT)

UTC−7 / UTC−6 DST

Denver, Phoenix

Pacific Time (PT)

UTC−8 / UTC−7 DST

Los Angeles, Seattle

BST (British Summer Time)

UTC+1

London, Edinburgh, Cardiff

CEST (Central European Summer)

UTC+2

Berlin, Paris, Madrid, Rome

AEST (Australian Eastern)

UTC+10

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane

IST (India Standard Time)

UTC+5:30

Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore

Planning Your World Cup 2026 Viewing

With 104 matches across 39 days, planning which games to watch is important. Here are some practical tips for making the most of the World Cup 2026 TV schedule:

Set calendar reminders: Add key matches — especially your national team's games — to your calendar with the correct kick-off time for your time zone.
Use GoalRadar's live schedule: Our World Cup fixtures page shows all match times in real time.
Check for scheduling conflicts: The Group Stage often has two simultaneous matches. Plan ahead to decide which to watch live and which to record.
Record for time zone clashes: If you're in Australia or Asia, many matches will air at inconvenient local times. Set recordings on your DVR or use catch-up services.
Subscribe to streaming services early: Sign up for your preferred streaming service before the tournament starts to avoid missing opening matches.
Download apps in advance: Install your broadcaster's streaming app — Fox Sports, BBC iPlayer, TSN, SBS On Demand — before the tournament.

📺 Stream Every Match

Don't miss a World Cup 2026 kick-off

Set up your streaming service before the tournament starts. Check availability in your region.

Fubo TV — Free Trial →Streaming Guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

What time do World Cup 2026 matches kick off?▾

Group stage matches are scheduled at 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM, and 9:00 PM Eastern Time (ET). Since the tournament spans three host countries, some matches in Mexico and Canada may have slightly different local kick-off times. Check the GoalRadar schedule page for exact times in your timezone.

When is the World Cup 2026 Final?▾

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final is scheduled for Sunday 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA. Kick-off time is expected to be at approximately 7:00 PM Eastern Time (midnight BST in the UK). This is the showpiece event of the tournament, followed by a third-place play-off on 18 July.

What channel is the World Cup 2026 on in the USA?▾

In the United States, Fox holds the primary English-language broadcast rights. Matches will air across Fox, FS1, and FS2. Spanish-language coverage is on Telemundo and Universo. For streaming, the Fox Sports app, Peacock, and the Telemundo Deportes app will carry matches. YouTube TV, Hulu Live TV, and Fubo TV are also options for cord-cutters.

What channel is the World Cup 2026 on in the UK?▾

In the United Kingdom, ITV and BBC are expected to share broadcast rights for World Cup 2026, as they did in 2022. Both are free-to-air channels available on Freeview, Sky, and Virgin. Online streaming is available on ITVX (free) and BBC iPlayer (free with a TV licence).

How many World Cup 2026 matches are there in total?▾

FIFA World Cup 2026 features 104 matches in total — significantly more than the 64 matches at the 2022 tournament. The expanded format includes 48 teams, 12 groups of four, a Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, Third Place Play-off, and the Final.

When does the World Cup 2026 start?▾

The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off on Thursday 11 June 2026 with the opening match, Mexico vs South Africa, in Mexico City. The opening ceremony is expected to take place at the same venue before kick-off. The tournament runs through to the Final on 19 July 2026.

What are the key World Cup 2026 dates?▾

Key dates: Group Stage — 11 June to 27 June 2026. Round of 32 — 28 June to 4 July 2026. Round of 16 — 4 to 7 July 2026. Quarter-finals — 9 to 12 July 2026. Semi-finals — 14 to 15 July 2026. Third Place Play-off — 18 July 2026. Final — 19 July 2026.

TV Channel Guide

"What channel?" guide for every country

Live Stream Guide

Free streaming options by country

Streaming Platforms

All 16 platforms with prices and devices

Country Watch Guides

Deep-dive streaming guide per country

Match Schedule

All 104 fixtures with kickoff times

Live Results

Scores updated live during every match