FIFA World Cup game schedule reveal: Times, groups, bracket

The 2026 World Cup is getting closer and after the draw which took place on Friday at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington , D.C., on Saturday the official schedule will be released by FIFA. The FIFA President Gianni Infantino, joined by former soccer stars such as Ronaldo Nazario, Francesco Totti and Hristo Stoichkov will announce the match schedule for the 104 matches that will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer. At 12 p.m. ET, FIFA will confirm venues and kick-off times for the 48 teams involved in the tournament but the final version of the match schedule will be only available in March, once the FIFA and European play-off tournaments have taken place and the final six slots have been filled. Here’s what you need to know ahead of the schedule announcement: 

How to watch FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule reveal

Date: Saturday, Dec. 6
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Live stream: FIFA+

USMNT’s path at the World Cup

The United States will face Australia, the team they beat 2-1 in October’s friendly and Paraguay, the team they beat 2-1 in November’s matchup while the last team Mauricio Pochettino’s will play will only be known later in March as it will come out of the playoffs between Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo and Turikye, a team the USMNT played in a 2-1 loss in June.

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James Benge

Groups in full

• Group A: Mexico, Korea Republic, South Africa, UEFA Playoff D (Denmark/North Macedonia/Czechia/Republic of Ireland)
• Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, UEFA Playoff A (Italy/Northern Ireland/Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
• Group D: USA, Australia, Paraguay, UEFA Playoff D (Turkiye/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo)
• Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
• Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, UEFA Playoff B (Sweden/Ukraine/Poland/Albania)
• Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
• Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde
• Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Intercontinental Playoff 2 (Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname)
• Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
• Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Intercontinental Playoff 1 (DR Congo/Jamaica/New Caledonia)
• Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana

Bracket and schedule

Round of 32

• Match 73: Runner-up Group A vs Runner-up Group B – Los Angeles
• Match 74: Winner Group E vs Best 3rd place Group A/B/C/D/F – Boston
• Match 75: Winner Group F vs Runner-up Group C – Guadalupe, Mexico
• Match 76: Winner Group C vs Runner-up Group F – Houston
• Match 77: Winner Group I vs Best 3rd place Group C/D/F/G/H – New Jersey
• Match 78: Runner-up Group E vs Runner-up Group I – Dallas
• Match 79: Winner Group A vs Best 3rd place Group C/E/F/H/I – Mexico City
• Match 80: Winner Group L vs Best 3rd place Group E/H/I/J/K – Atlanta
• Match 81: Winner Group D vs Best 3rd place Group B/E/F/I/J – San Francisco-Bay Area
• Match 82: Winner Group G vs Best 3rd place Group A/E/H/I/J – Seattle
• Match 83: Runner-up Group K vs Runner-up Group L – Toronto
• Match 84: Winner Group H vs Runner-up Group J – Los Angeles
• Match 85: Winner Group B vs Best 3rd place Group E/F/G/I/J – Vancouver
• Match 86: Winner Group J vs Runner-up Group H – Miami
• Match 87: Winner Group K vs Best 3rd place Group D/E/I/J/L – Kansas City
• Match 88: Runner-up Group D vs Runner-up Group G – Dallas

Round of 16

• Match 74 winner vs. Match 77 winner – Philadelphia: Match 89
• Match 73 winner vs. Match 75 winner – Houston: Match 90
• Match 76 winner vs. Match 78 winner – New Jersey: Match 91
• Match 79 winner vs. Match 80 winner – Mexico City: Match 92
• March 83 winner vs. Match 84 winner – Dallas: Match 93
• Match 81 winner vs. Match 82 winner – Seattle: Match 94
• Match 86 winner vs. Match 88 winner – Atlanta: Match 95
• Match 85 winner vs. Match 87 winner – Vancouver: Match 96

Quarterfinals

• Match 89 winner vs. Match 90 winner – Boston: Match 97
• Match 93 winner vs. Match 94 winner – Los Angeles: Match 98
• Match 91 winner vs March 92 winner – Miami: Match 99
• Match 95 winner vs. Match 96 winner – Kansas City: Match 100

Semifinals

Winner 97 vs. Winner 98 – Dallas

Winner 99 vs. Winner 100 – Atlanta

Third place

• July 18, 2026: Semifinal losers – Miami

Final

• July 19, 2026: Semifinal winners at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey