What times will the 2026 World Cup matches be played?
The 2026 World Cup will be a unique tournament: for the first time organized by three countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This not only means more host cities and more matches, but also a significant time difference with Europe. Many football fans are therefore wondering: at what times will the matches be played? And even more importantly: do the match schedules take European viewers into account?
In this article, you will learn how the time differences will play out, what the expected kick-off times are, and what you as a Dutch viewer can expect.
The 2026 World Cup in short
The 2026 World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. A total of 48 countries will participate, spread across 16 host cities in North America.
Since the tournament is stretched over three countries, there are multiple time zones in play:
Eastern Time (US/Canada): UTC-5
Central Time (US/Mexico): UTC-6
Pacific Time (US/Canada): UTC-8
For European fans (in summer: CEST / UTC+2) this means that matches will often be seen late in the evening or even at night. Want to miss nothing? Then create a World Cup football pool with Sportspoule. Here’s How You Create a Football Pool in 5 Steps.
Expected kick-off times
The exact times will only be officially announced after the draw, but there are already clear indications of the time slots that FIFA will use.
Four fixed kick-off times per match day in local time are expected: 13:00, 16:00, 19:00, and 22:00.
Since the tournament spans different time zones, this varies significantly by location.
Converted to Dutch time
If we assume the central time zone (UTC-6), this means for the Netherlands (UTC+2):
13:00 local time = 20:00 Dutch time
16:00 local time = 23:00 Dutch time
19:00 local time = 02:00 Dutch time (next day)
22:00 local time = 05:00 Dutch time (next day)
Matches on the east coast (for example, in New York or Toronto) start slightly earlier in Dutch time, while matches on the west coast (like Los Angeles or Vancouver) start later — often around midnight or even in the early morning.
Will European viewers be considered?
FIFA usually tries to schedule the biggest matches, like quarter-finals and semi-finals, in time slots that are appealing to the international market.
This means that group matches will mainly be focused on the local market, but the key matches — such as the opening match, semi-finals, and final — will likely be played in the afternoon or early evening local time.
For the Netherlands, this amounts to approximately 20:00 to 23:00, a great time to watch live.
Practical tips for Dutch fans
1. Check the time per host city
Each host city has its own time zone. So always check the local time and convert it to Dutch time before you watch or fill in your pool at Sportspoule.
2. Use notifications
In the Sportspoule app, you can set notifications for the start of matches so you don’t miss any kick-off — handy for the late matches. You will also receive Live Activities from favorite teams such as Orange on iOS and useful push notifications an hour before the match, when goals are scored, and after the matches when you have earned points in the World Cup pool.
3. Plan your viewing times
Most group matches will be in the Dutch evening or night. Decide in advance whether you will watch live or check the recap the next morning.
4. Final and big matches
The final will likely be played in the afternoon local time, which translates to around 20:00 Dutch time. Perfect for a football evening with friends or family. Read all about the final of the 2026 World Cup here.
Summary
The 2026 World Cup promises to be a true football spectacle — but with a significant dose of time difference. Most matches will start in the Netherlands between 20:00 and 02:00, depending on the location in North America. For the true fans, this sometimes means a short night, but FIFA seems to schedule the key matches so that European viewers can fully enjoy as well. With a well-filled pool, some coffee in stock, and the Sportspoule app at hand, you are all set.
