New Delhi, Jun 9: The wait is finally over, and the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be the biggest edition in the tournament's history, will begin on June 12 (IST) and conclude with the final on July 20 (IST), featuring a record 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The expanded format introduces 12 groups of four teams each, replacing the previous structure of eight groups. The top two teams from every group, along with the eight best third-placed sides, will advance to the knockout stage, creating a new Round of 32 before the traditional Round of 16.

The Groups

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Republic of Korea, Czechia

Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti

Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey

Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde

Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq

Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, Colombia, DR Congo, Uzbekistan

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

Also read: Zee Secures FIFA World Cup 2026 Rights for India

For Indian football fans planning to follow the action through the night and early mornings, here is the complete FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule in Indian Standard Time (IST).

Friday, June 12

Mexico vs South Africa, 12:30 AM IST – Mexico City

South Korea vs Czechia, 7:30 AM IST – Zapopan

Saturday, June 13

Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, 12:30 AM IST – Toronto

USA vs Paraguay, 6:30 AM IST – Los Angeles

Sunday, June 14

Qatar vs Switzerland, 12:30 AM IST – Santa Clara

Brazil vs Morocco, 3:30 AM IST – New Jersey

Haiti vs Scotland, 6:30 AM IST – Foxboroug

Australia vs Turkey, 9:30 AM IST – Vancouver

Germany vs Curaçao, 10:30 PM IST – Houston

Monday, June 15

Netherlands vs Japan, 1:30 AM IST – Arlington

Ivory Coast vs Ecuador, 4:30 AM IST – Philadelphia

Sweden vs Tunisia, 7:30 AM IST – Guadalajara

Spain vs Cape Verde, 9:30 PM IST – Atlanta

Tuesday, June 16

Belgium vs Egypt, 12:30 AM IST – Seattle

Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay, 3:30 AM IST – Miami

Iran vs New Zealand, 6:30 AM IST – Los Angeles

Wednesday, June 17

France vs Senegal, 12:30 AM IST – New Jersey

Iraq vs Norway, 3:30 AM IST – Foxborough

Argentina vs Algeria, 6:30 AM IST – Kansas City

Austria vs Jordan, 9:30 AM IST – Santa Clara

Portugal vs DR Congo, 10:30 PM IST – Houston

Thursday, June 18

England vs Croatia, 1:30 AM IST – Arlington

Ghana vs Panama, 4:30 AM IST – Toronto

Uzbekistan vs Colombia, 7:30 AM IST – Mexico City

Thursday, June 18

Czechia vs South Africa, 9:30 PM IST – Atlanta

Friday, June 19

Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, 12:30 AM IST – Los Angeles

Canada vs Qatar, 3:30 AM IST – Vancouver

Mexico vs South Korea, 6:30 AM IST – Zapopan

Saturday, June 20

USA vs Australia, 12:30 AM IST – Seattle

Scotland vs Morocco, 3:30 AM IST – Foxborough

Brazil vs Haiti, 6:00 AM IST – Philadelphia

Turkey vs Paraguay, 8:30 AM IST – Santa Clara

Netherlands vs Sweden, 10:30 PM IST – Houston

Sunday, June 21

Germany vs Ivory Coast, 1:30 AM IST – Toronto

Ecuador vs Curaçao, 5:30 AM IST – Kansas City

Tunisia vs Japan, 9:30 AM IST – Guadalajar

Spain vs Saudi Arabia, 9:30 PM IST – Atlanta

Monday, June 22

Belgium vs Iran, 12:30 AM IST – Los Angeles

Uruguay vs Cape Verde, 3:30 AM IST – Miami

New Zealand vs Egypt, 6:30 AM IST – Vancouver

Argentina vs Austria, 10:30 PM IST – Arlington

Tuesday, June 23

France vs Iraq, 2:30 AM IST – Philadelphia

Norway vs Senegal, 5:30 AM IST – Toronto

Jordan vs Algeria, 8:30 AM IST – Santa Clara

Portugal vs Uzbekistan, 10:30 PM IST – Houston

Wednesday, June 24

England vs Ghana, 1:30 AM IST – Foxborough

Panama vs Croatia, 4:30 AM IST – Foxboroug

Colombia vs DR Congo, 7:30 AM IST – Zapopan

Thursday, June 25

Switzerland vs Canada, 12:30 AM IST – Vancouver

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar, 12:30 AM IST – Seattle

Morocco vs Haiti, 3:30 AM IST – Atlant

Scotland vs Brazil, 3:30 AM IST – Miami

South Africa vs South Korea, 6:30 AM IST – Guadalajara

Czechia vs Mexico, 6:30 AM IST – Mexico City

Friday, June 26

Curaçao vs Ivory Coast, 1:30 AM IST – Philadelphia

Ecuador vs Germany, 1:30 AM IST – New Jerse

Tunisia vs Netherlands, 4:30 AM IST – Kansas City

Japan vs Sweden, 4:30 AM IST – Arlington

Turkey vs USA, 7:30 AM IST – Los Angeles

Paraguay vs Australia, 7:30 AM IST – Santa Clara

Saturday, June 27

Norway vs France, 12:30 AM IST – Foxboroug

Senegal vs Iraq, 12:30 AM IST – Toronto

Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia, 5:30 AM IST – Housto

Uruguay vs Spain, 5:30 AM IST – Zapopan

New Zealand vs Belgium, 8:30 AM IST – Vancouver

Egypt vs Iran, 8:30 AM IST – Seattle

Sunday, June 28

Panama vs England, 2:30 AM IST – New Jersey

Croatia vs Ghana, 2:30 AM IST – Philadelphia

Colombia vs Portugal, 5:00 AM IST – Miami

DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, 5:00 AM IST – Atlanta

Algeria vs Austria, 7:30 AM IST – Kansas City

Jordan vs Argentina, 7:30 AM IST – Arlington

The group stage will conclude on June 28, following which the newly introduced Round of 32 will be played from June 29 to July 4. The Round of 16 is scheduled from July 4 to July 8, while the quarterfinals will take place from July 10 to July 12.

The two semifinals are scheduled for July 15 and July 16 in Arlington and Atlanta respectively. The third-place playoff will be held on July 19 in Miami, while the FIFA World Cup 2026 final will be played on July 20 at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.

(IANS)