FIFA World Cup 2026 match schedule as England and Scotland await their fate

The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw takes place on Friday evening with England and Scotland awaiting their group stage fate

The World Cup draw is nearly here, with England and Scotland eagerly awaiting their group stage destiny. The official draw will unfold on Friday evening in Washington, commencing at 5pm UK time.

A total of 64 teams will participate in the draw, including potential play-off winners, with the composition of 12 groups of four teams to be determined. This number will be reduced to a final 48 following the conclusion of March’s play-off round, leaving ample opportunity for other nations to secure their place in the World Cup.

Wales, the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland all still have a shot at qualification if they can navigate through the knock-out stages next spring. Here, Manchester Evening News has all the details on the tournament’s match schedule and why there will be a slight delay in revealing the venues for these matches.

When will we learn the locations of the group stage games?

While each national team will discover their opponents on Friday evening, supporters will need to wait a bit longer before booking their flights. The official locations for each group stage match won’t be announced until Saturday evening.

The special reveal show, broadcast by FIFA, is scheduled for Saturday, December 6, at 5pm UK time. The governing body will confirm venues and kick-off times for all 104 matches of the tournament, set to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is set to spearhead the venue reveal, with official representatives from all currently qualified teams anticipated to be present.

FIFA World Cup 2026 match schedule

FIFA has unveiled the basic match schedule and dates for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The fixtures are as follows:

Friday, June 12, 2026

• Match 1 – Group A (Mexico #1) – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
• Match 2 – Group A – Estadio Akron, Guadalajara

Saturday, June 13, 2026

• Match 3 – Group B (Canada #1) – BMO Field, Toronto
• Match 4 – Group D (USA #1) – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles

Sunday, June 14, 2026

• Match 5 – Group C – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough (Boston)
• Match 6 – Group D – BC Place, Vancouver
• Match 7 – Group C – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (New York)
• Match 8 – Group B – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara (San Francisco)

Monday, June 15, 2026

• Match 9 – Group E – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
• Match 10 – Group E – NRG Stadium, Houston
• Match 11 – Group F – AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)
• Match 12 – Group F – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

• Match 13 – Group H – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
• Match 14 – Group H – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
• Match 15 – Group G – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
• Match 16 – Group G – Lumen Field, Seattle

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

• Match 17 – Group I – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (New York)
• Match 18 – Group I – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough (Boston)
• Match 19 – Group J – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
• Match 20 – Group J – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara (San Francisco)

Thursday, June 18, 2026

• Match 21 – Group L – BMO Field, Toronto
• Match 22 – Group L – AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)
• Match 23 – Group K – NRG Stadium, Houston
• Match 24 – Group K – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Friday, June 19, 2026

• Match 25 – Group A – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
• Match 26 – Group B – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
• Match 27 – Group B – (Canada #2) – BC Place, Vancouver
• Match 28 – Group A – (Mexico #2) – Estadio Akron, Guadalajara

Saturday, June 20, 2026

• Match 29 – Group C – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
• Match 30 – Group C – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough (Boston)
• Match 31 – Group D – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara (San Francisco)
• Match 32 – Group D (USA #2) – Lumen Field, Seattle

Sunday, June 21, 2026

• Match 33 – Group E – BMO Field, Toronto
• Match 34 – Group E – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
• Match 35 – Group F – NRG Stadium, Houston
• Match 36 – Group F – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey

Monday, June 22, 2026

• Match 37 – Group H – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
• Match 38 – Group H – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
• Match 39 – Group G – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
• Match 40 – Group G – BC Place, Vancouver

Tuesday, June 23, 2026

• Match 41 – Group I – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (New York)
• Match 42 – Group I – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
• Match 43 – Group J – AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)
• Match 44 – Group J – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara (San Francisco)

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

• Match 45 – Group L – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough (Boston)
• Match 46 – Group L – BMO Field, Toronto
• Match 47 – Group K – NRG Stadium, Houston
• Match 48 – Group K – Estadio Akron, Guadalajara

Thursday, June 25, 2026

• Match 49 – Group C – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
• Match 50 – Group C – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
• Match 51 – Group B – (Canada #3) – BC Place, Vancouver
• Match 52 – Group B – Lumen Field, Seattle
• Match 53 – Group A – (Mexico #3) – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
• Match 54 – Group A – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey

Friday, June 26, 2026

• Match 55 – Group E – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
• Match 56 – Group E – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (New York)
• Match 57 – Group F – AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)
• Match 58 – Group F – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
• Match 59 – Group D – (USA #3) – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
• Match 60 – Group D – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara (San Francisco)

Saturday, June 27, 2026

• Match 61 – Group I – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough (Boston)
• Match 62 – Group I – BMO Field, Toronto
• Match 63 – Group G – Lumen Field, Seattle
• Match 64 – Group G – BC Place, Vancouver
• Match 65 – Group H – NRG Stadium, Houston
• Match 66 – Group H – Estadio Akron, Guadalajara

Sunday, June 28, 2026

• Match 67 – Group L – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (New York)
• Match 68 – Group L – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
• Match 69 – Group J – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
• Match 70 – Group J – AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)
• Match 71 – Group K – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
• Match 72 – Group K – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

ROUND OF 32

Monday, June 29, 2026

• Match 73 – Runner-Up Group A vs Runner-Up Group B – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

• Match 74 – Winner Group E vs Third-Place Group A/B/C/D/F – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough (Boston)
• Match 75 – Winner Group F vs Runner-Up Group C – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
• Match 76 – Winner Group C vs Runner-Up Group F – NRG Stadium, Houston

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

• Match 77 – Winner Group I vs Third-Place Group C/D/F/G/H – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (New York)
• Match 78 – Runner-Up Group E vs Runner-Up Group I – AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)
• Match 79 – Winner Group A vs Third-Place Group C/E/F/H/I – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Thursday, July 2, 2026

• Match 80 – Winner Group L vs Third-Place Group E/H/I/J/K – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
• Match 81 – Winner Group D vs Third-Place Group B/E/F/I/J – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara (San Francisco)
• Match 82 – Winner Group G vs Third-Place Group A/E/H/I/J – Lumen Field, Seattle

Friday, July 3, 2026

• Match 83 – Runner-Up Group K vs Runner-Up Group L – BMO Field, Toronto
• Match 84 – Winner Group H vs Runner-Up Group J – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
• Match 85 – Winner Group B vs Third-Place Group E/F/G/I/J – BC Place, Vancouver

Saturday, July 4, 2026

• Match 86 – Winner Group J vs Runner-Up Group H – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
• Match 87 – Winner Group K vs Third-Place Group D/E/I/J/L – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
• Match 88 – Runner-Up Group D vs Runner-Up Group G – AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)

ROUND OF 16

Sunday, July 5, 2026

• Match 89 – Winner Match 74 vs Winner Match 77 – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
• Match 90 – Winner Match 73 vs Winner Match 75 – NRG Stadium, Houston

Monday, July 6, 2026

• Match 91 – Winner Match 76 vs Winner Match 78 – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (New York)
• Match 92 – Winner Match 79 vs Winner Match 80 – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

• Match 93 – Winner Match 83 vs Winner March 84 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)
• Match 94 – Winner Match 81 vs Winner Match 82 – Lumen Field, Seattle

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

• Match 95 – Winner Match 86 vs Winner Match 88 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
• Match 96 – Winner Match 85 vs Winner Match 87 – BC Place, Vancouver

QUARTER-FINALS

Friday, July 10, 2026

• Match 97 – Winner Match 89 vs Winner Match 90 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough (Boston)

Saturday, July 11, 2026

• Match 98 – Winner Match 93 vs Winner Match 94 – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles

Sunday, July 12, 2026

• Match 99 – Winner Match 91 vs Winner Match 92 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
• Match 100 – Winner Match 95 vs Winner Match 96 – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

SEMI-FINALS

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

• Match 101 – Winner Match 97 vs Winner Match 98 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)

Thursday, July 16, 2026

• Match 102 – Winner Match 99 vs Winner Match 100 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

THIRD-PLACE GAME

Sunday, July 19, 2026

• Match 103 – Loser Match 101 vs Loser Match 102 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

WORLD CUP FINAL

Monday, July 20, 2026

• Match 104 – Winner Match 101 vs Winner Match 102 – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (New York)