Three nations, three ceremonies, one global stage. The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off with a unique triple-opening, as the United States, Canada, and Mexico began their joint hosting duties in June.
Opening Ceremonies & First Matches
The tournament began with three separate celebrations, each preceding the first match of the respective host nation.
- Mexico Opening Ceremony: Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. ET at Mexico City Stadium. Preceded Mexico vs. South Africa.
- Canada Opening Ceremony: Friday, June 12, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. ET at Toronto Stadium. Preceded Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- United States Opening Ceremony: Friday, June 12, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT) at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA. Preceded USA vs. Paraguay at 9 p.m. ET.
Group Stage Highlights
Selected Match Schedule
- June 13, 2026: Brazil vs. Morocco at 6:00 p.m. ET (MetLife Stadium, New Jersey).
- June 17, 2026:
- Portugal vs. DR Congo – 1:00 p.m. ET (Houston)
- England vs. Croatia – 4:00 p.m. ET (Dallas)
- Ghana vs. Panama – 7:00 p.m. ET (Toronto)
- Uzbekistan vs. Colombia – 10:00 p.m. ET (Mexico City)
Group Stage Day 10
- Netherlands vs. Sweden – 1 p.m. ET (Houston)
- Germany vs. Ivory Coast – 4 p.m. ET (Toronto)
- Ecuador vs. Curaçao – 8 p.m. ET (Kansas City)
- Tunisia vs. Japan – Midnight ET (Monterrey)
Key Results & Storylines
- Group F: The Netherlands defeated Sweden 5-1. The Dutch had previously drawn 2-2 with Japan, while Sweden had won 5-1 against Tunisia.
- Group E: Germany secured a knockout round spot with a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast. Deniz Undav scored the equalizer in the 60th minute and the winning goal in stoppage time. Germany led the group with six points. Tunisia appointed Hervé Renard as head coach after dismissing Sabri Lamouchi following their opening loss to Germany.
- USA Advancement: The United States advanced to the Round of 32 following a 2-0 win over Australia.
Knockout Round: Round of 32
The Round of 32 continued on Monday, June 29, 2026, with three matches.
- Brazil vs. Japan: 1:00 p.m. ET (Houston)
- Germany vs. Paraguay: 4:30 p.m. ET (Boston)
- Netherlands vs. Morocco: 9:00 p.m. ET (Monterrey)
Broadcast & Streaming Information
All matches and ceremonies were broadcast in English on FOX and FS1. Spanish-language coverage was available on Telemundo.
Streaming options included FOX One, YouTube TV, DirecTV, Peacock, and Tubi (which offered free simulcasts for the Mexico and USA ceremonies and matches). FOX One offered a 3-day free trial for streaming.
The full group stage ran from June 11 to June 27, 2026. The tournament is scheduled to conclude on July 19, 2026.