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	TEAM
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).

Matches

DATE	MATCH	TIME	PLACE
Friday 12, June 2026	Mexico vs South Africa	12:30 AM IST	Mexico City
Friday 12, June 2026	South Korea vs Czechia	7:30 AM IST	Zapopan
Saturday, June 13	Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina	12:30 AM IST	Toronto
Saturday, June 13	USA vs Paraguay	6:30 AM IST	Los Angeles
Sunday, June 14	Qatar vs Switzerland	12:30 AM IST	Santa Clara
Sunday, June 14	Brazil vs Morocco	3:30 AM IST	New Jersey
Sunday, June 14	Haiti vs Scotland	6:30 AM IST	Foxboroug
Sunday, June 14	Australia vs Turkey	9:30 AM IST	Vancouver
Sunday, June 14	Germany vs Curaçao	10:30 PM IST	Houston
Monday, June 15	Netherlands vs Japan	1:30 AM IST	Arlington
Monday, June 15	Ivory Coast vs Ecuador	4:30 AM IST	Philadelphia
Monday, June 15	Sweden vs Tunisia	7:30 AM IST	Guadalajara
Monday, June 15	Spain vs Cape Verde	9:30 PM IST	Atlanta
Tuesday, June 16	Belgium vs Egypt	12:30 AM IST	Seattle
Tuesday, June 16	Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay	3:30 AM IST	Miami
Tuesday, June 16	Iran vs New Zealand	6:30 AM IST	Los Angeles
Wednesday, June 17	France vs Senegal	12:30 AM IST	New Jersey
Wednesday, June 17	Iraq vs Norway	3:30 AM IST	Foxborough
Wednesday, June 17	Argentina vs Algeria	6:30 AM IST	Kansas City
Wednesday, June 17	Austria vs Jordan	9:30 AM IST	Santa Clara
Wednesday, June 17	Portugal vs DR Congo	10:30 PM IST	Houston
Thursday, June 18	England vs Croatia	1:30 AM IST	Arlington
Thursday, June 18	Ghana vs Panama	4:30 AM IST	Toronto
Thursday, June 18	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
Friday, June 19	Canada vs Qatar	3:30 AM IST	Vancouver
Friday, June 19	Mexico vs South Korea	6:30 AM IST	Zapopan
Saturday, June 20	USA vs Australia	12:30 AM IST	Seattle
Saturday, June 20	Scotland vs Morocco	3:30 AM IST	Foxborough
Saturday, June 20	Brazil vs Haiti	6:00 AM IST	Philadelphia
Saturday, June 20	Turkey vs Paraguay	8:30 AM IST	Santa Clara
Saturday, June 20	Netherlands vs Sweden	10:30 PM IST	Houston
Sunday, June 21	Germany vs Ivory Coast	1:30 AM IST	Toronto
Sunday, June 21	Ecuador vs Curaçao	5:30 AM IST	Kansas City
Sunday, June 21	Tunisia vs Japan	9:30 AM IST	Guadalajar
Sunday, June 21	Spain vs Saudi Arabia	9:30 PM IST	Atlanta
Monday, June 22	Belgium vs Iran	12:30 AM IST	Los Angeles
Monday, June 22	Uruguay vs Cape Verde	3:30 AM IST	Miami
Monday, June 22	New Zealand vs Egypt	6:30 AM IST	Vancouver
Monday, June 22	Argentina vs Austria	10:30 PM IST	Arlington
Tuesday, June 23	France vs Iraq	2:30 AM IST	Philadelphia
Tuesday, June 23	Norway vs Senegal	5:30 AM IST	Toronto
Tuesday, June 23	Jordan vs Algeria	8:30 AM IST	Santa Clara
Tuesday, June 23	Portugal vs Uzbekistan	10:30 PM IST	Houston
Wednesday, June 24	England vs Ghana	1:30 AM IST	Foxborough
Wednesday, June 24	Panama vs Croatia	4:30 AM IST	Foxboroug
Wednesday, June 24	Colombia vs DR Congo	7:30 AM IST	Zapopan
Thursday, June 25	Switzerland vs Canada	12:30 AM IST	Vancouver
Thursday, June 25	Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar	12:30 AM IST	Seattle
Thursday, June 25	Morocco vs Haiti	3:30 AM IST	Atlant
Thursday, June 25	Scotland vs Brazil	3:30 AM IST	Miami
Thursday, June 25	South Africa vs South Korea	6:30 AM IST	Guadalajara
Thursday, June 25	Czechia vs Mexico	6:30 AM IST	Mexico City
Friday, June 26	Curaçao vs Ivory Coast	1:30 AM IST	Philadelphia
Friday, June 26	Ecuador vs Germany	1:30 AM IST	New Jerse
Friday, June 26	Tunisia vs Netherlands	4:30 AM IST	Kansas City
Friday, June 26	Japan vs Sweden	4:30 AM IST	Arlington
Friday, June 26	Turkey vs USA	7:30 AM IST	Los Angeles
Friday, June 26	Paraguay vs Australia	7:30 AM IST	Santa Clara
Saturday, June 27	Norway vs France	12:30 AM IST	Foxboroug
Saturday, June 27	Senegal vs Iraq	12:30 AM IST	Toronto
Saturday, June 27	Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia	5:30 AM IST	Housto
Saturday, June 27	Uruguay vs Spain	5:30 AM IST	Zapopan
Saturday, June 27	New Zealand vs Belgium	8:30 AM IST	Vancouver
Saturday, June 27	Egypt vs Iran	8:30 AM IST	Seattle
Sunday, June 28	Panama vs England	2:30 AM IST	New Jersey
Sunday, June 28	Croatia vs Ghana	2:30 AM IST	Philadelphia
Sunday, June 28	Colombia vs Portugal	5:00 AM IST	Miami
Sunday, June 28	DR Congo vs Uzbekistan	5:00 AM IST	Atlanta
Sunday, June 28	Algeria vs Austria	7:30 AM IST	Kansas City
Sunday, June 28	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)