2026 World Cup schedule: all matches, dates, and venues clearly outlined
The 2026 World Cup schedule has been officially announced. The World Cup 2026 will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. With as many as 48 countries and 104 matches, this will be the largest World Cup ever.
On this page you will find a complete overview of the key dates, the tournament format, the group stage, the knockout phase, and when the Netherlands plays. Ideal if you want to plan for the 2026 World Cup — or if you want to organize a free World Cup pool 2026.
When does the 2026 World Cup start?
The 2026 World Cup starts on June 11, 2026 with the opening match in Mexico City. The final will be held on July 19, 2026 in the United States.
The tournament lasts just over five weeks and includes:
48 participating countries
12 groups
104 matches
16 venues spread across 3 countries
2026 World Cup group stage schedule
The group stage runs from June 11 to June 27, 2026.
Group stage format
12 groups of 4 countries
Each country plays 3 group matches
The best teams from each group progress to the knockout phase
With the expansion to 48 countries, more group matches will be played than ever. That means multiple matches every day and therefore plenty of action.
For participants in a World Cup pool 2026, this is the most important phase: this is where most points are often earned.
2026 World Cup knockout phase schedule
After the group stage, the knockout phase begins. Due to the larger number of participants, the knockout phase starts with an extra round of 32. The final will be held on July 19, 2026. This is traditionally the match that earns extra points in many World Cup pools.
Round of 32 (June 28 – July 3, 2026)
Round of 16 (July 4 – 7, 2026)
Quarter-finals (July 9 – 11, 2026)
Semi-finals (July 14 – 15, 2026)
Third place match (July 18, 2026)
Final of the 2026 World Cup (July 19, 2026)
When does the Netherlands play in the 2026 World Cup?
The group matches of the Netherlands in the 2026 World Cup are known. The Netherlands is in Group F and will play three group matches.
Netherlands 2026 World Cup group stage (Dutch time)
Sun June 14, 2026 – 22:00 — Netherlands – Japan
Sat June 20, 2026 – 19:00 — Netherlands – European Play-Off B
Fri June 26, 2026 – 01:00 — Tunisia – Netherlands
Do you want to always have these matches (and the rest of the 2026 World Cup schedule) at hand?
Create an account via our Sportspoule App. As soon as you start a World Cup 2026 pool, you will see all of the Netherlands' matches and the complete schedule in one overview — soon including all live scores and handy push notifications in the same app.
2026 World Cup schedule in Dutch time
The complete 2026 World Cup schedule will be displayed in Dutch time.
Because the tournament is held in North America, matches for Dutch viewers will start at different times of the day.
Most matches will start:
in the evening between 18:00 and 22:00 hours
or later at night around 00:00, 03:00, or 04:00 hours
some matches will even start around 06:00 hours
Examples of kickoff times (Dutch time):
Mexico – South Africa at 21:00 hours
Netherlands – Japan at 22:00 hours
Brazil – Morocco at 00:00 hours
United States – Paraguay at 03:00 hours
South Korea – European Play-Off D at 04:00 hours
Australia – European Play-Off C at 06:00 hours
That means: many evening matches, but also real night and early morning duels.
Do you want to always see the complete 2026 World Cup schedule clearly in Dutch time? In the Sportspoule app, you will see all matches automatically in your time zone, including live scores and updates in your World Cup pool.
2026 World Cup schedule by venue
The 2026 World Cup will be organized in:
🇺🇸 United States
🇨🇦 Canada
🇲🇽 Mexico
In total, there are 16 venues. Major cities such as Mexico City, New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, Toronto, and Atlanta will host multiple matches, including knockout matches.
View the 2026 World Cup schedule in the app
Do you want to have the complete 2026 World Cup schedule clearly at hand?
Then simply create an account via this link.
As soon as you create a World Cup 2026 pool, you will directly see in the app:
The complete 2026 World Cup schedule
All matches per match day
Overview of the group stage and knockout phase
Matches of the Netherlands at a glance
So you won’t need to use separate PDFs or external schedules — everything is centrally located in one overview.
Live 2026 World Cup scores in one app
During the 2026 World Cup, you will see not only your pool standings in Sportspoule, but also:
Live scores of all World Cup matches
Directly updated rankings
Automatic scoring
Real-time updates
This way, you can follow the 2026 World Cup schedule and all live scores in one app.
Create a free World Cup pool 2026
Knowing the schedule is one thing. But the World Cup only gets really exciting when you make a competition out of it.
With Sportspoule you can easily start a free World Cup pool 2026:
Create a free pool
Invite unlimited participants
Automatic scoring
Live ranking
Perfect for mobile use
👉 Start your free World Cup pool here
Because let’s be honest: a World Cup without a pool is just less fun.
Frequently asked questions about the 2026 World Cup schedule
When does the 2026 World Cup start?
The 2026 World Cup starts on June 11, 2026.
When is the final of the 2026 World Cup?
The final will be held on July 19, 2026.
How many matches will there be in the 2026 World Cup?
A total of 104 matches will be played.
How many countries are participating in the 2026 World Cup?
For the first time, 48 countries will participate.
Do you want to know how a World Cup pool works and how you score points?
👉 Also read: How does a World Cup pool work?
This way, you are fully prepared for the 2026 World Cup — and for your victory in the pool!
