Table of Contents
When were the FIFA World Cup 2026 Groups Revealed?
Today, December 6, 2025, FIFA officially unveiled the complete match schedule for the FIFA World Cup 2026 at noon Eastern Time from the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. This historic announcement came exactly 24 hours after Friday’s electrifying group draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
For Ugandan readers dreaming of the Cranes’ future glory, this is your definitive, deeply researched guide to the biggest World Cup ever staged.
What Sparked the Drama at the Historic Group Draw?
Friday’s draw was pure theatre: Heidi Klum and Kevin Hart hosted, Tom Brady made an appearance, and football royalty handled the balls. Forty-two qualified teams plus six playoff placeholders were sorted into 12 groups of four. Pot 1 protected the three hosts and top seeds, yet several groups still carry heavyweight tension.
Here is the confirmed group composition:
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| A | Mexico (host), South Africa, Republic of Korea, UEFA Playoff D Winner |
| B | Canada (host), UEFA Playoff A Winner, Qatar, Switzerland |
| C | Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland |
| D | United States (host), Paraguay, Australia, UEFA Playoff C Winner |
| E | Germany, Curaçao, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador |
| F | Netherlands, Japan, UEFA Playoff B Winner, Tunisia |
| G | Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand |
| H | Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay |
| I | France, Senegal, Intercontinental Playoff Winner 2, Norway |
| J | Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan |
| K | Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Intercontinental Playoff Winner 1 |
| L | England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama |
African teams to watch: Morocco vs Brazil (Group C), Senegal in a tricky Group I, Egypt alongside Belgium, plus South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Cabo Verde, and Algeria all carrying continental hopes.
How Did Today’s Schedule Announcement Unfold?
At exactly 12:00 EST today, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, joined by Ronaldo Nazário, Francesco Totti, Hristo Stoichkov, and Alexi Lalas, revealed the full 104-match calendar. The event was streamed live worldwide and emphasised sustainability, fan-friendly kick-off times, and balanced travel for teams.
What Does the New 48-Team Format Actually Mean?
- Group stage: 72 matches (June 11–27, 2026)
- Each team plays three matches
- Top two in each group + eight best third-placed teams advance
- New Round of 32 (32 teams total in knockouts)
- 104 matches in total — the longest World Cup ever
- Hosts receive no automatic progression; they must earn it on the pitch
What Are the Full Group Stage Fixtures? (All 72 Matches)
The group stage spans June 11 to June 27, 2026, with venues and times assigned to optimize logistics, weather, and global viewing. Groups are confined to 2-3 host cities for minimal travel. Specific match pairings within groups (e.g., MD1, MD2, MD3) will be finalized after March 2026 playoffs, but slots are locked. Times are local; adjust for ET (Mexico -1hr, Toronto/Vancouver vary slightly). Below is the exhaustive list, grouped by date for clarity, with African highlights noted.
Thursday, June 11, 2026 (Opening Day – Group A Opener)
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | 8:00 p.m. | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico | Mexico vs South Africa |
| 2 | A | 6:00 p.m. | Estadio Akron | Guadalajara, Mexico | Republic of Korea vs UEFA Playoff D Winner |
African Note: South Africa’s opener at the iconic Azteca – a chance for Bafana Bafana to echo 2010’s host magic.
Friday, June 12, 2026 (Host Openers)
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | B | 7:00 p.m. | BMO Field | Toronto, Canada | Canada vs UEFA Playoff A Winner |
| 4 | D | 8:00 p.m. | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles, USA | United States vs Paraguay |
Saturday, June 13, 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | C | 1:00 p.m. | Gillette Stadium | Boston, USA | Brazil vs Morocco |
| 6 | D | 4:00 p.m. | BC Place | Vancouver, Canada | Australia vs UEFA Playoff C Winner |
| 7 | C | 7:00 p.m. | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, USA | Haiti vs Scotland |
| 8 | B | 10:00 p.m. | Levi’s Stadium | Santa Clara, USA | Qatar vs Switzerland |
African Note: Morocco’s clash with Brazil in Boston – a 2022 semi-final rematch vibe for the Atlas Lions.
Sunday, June 14, 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | E | 12:00 p.m. | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, USA | Germany vs Curaçao |
| 10 | E | 3:00 p.m. | NRG Stadium | Houston, USA | Côte d’Ivoire vs Ecuador |
| 11 | F | 6:00 p.m. | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, USA | Netherlands vs UEFA Playoff B Winner |
| 12 | F | 9:00 p.m. | Estadio BBVA | Monterrey, Mexico | Japan vs Tunisia |
African Note: Côte d’Ivoire’s Elephants debut in Houston’s heat – post-AFCON momentum.
Monday, June 15, 2026 | FIFA World Cup 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | G | 1:00 p.m. | Lumen Field | Seattle, USA | Belgium vs Iran |
| 14 | G | 4:00 p.m. | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico | Egypt vs New Zealand |
| 15 | H | 7:00 p.m. | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, USA | Spain vs Saudi Arabia |
| 16 | H | 10:00 p.m. | Estadio Akron | Guadalajara, Mexico | Cabo Verde vs Uruguay |
African Note: Egypt’s Pharaohs in Mexico City; Cabo Verde’s Blue Sharks vs Uruguay – debut fairy tale potential.
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | I | 12:00 p.m. | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, USA | France vs Intercontinental Playoff Winner 2 |
| 18 | I | 3:00 p.m. | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, USA | Senegal vs Norway |
| 19 | J | 6:00 p.m. | Estadio BBVA | Monterrey, Mexico | Argentina vs Jordan |
| 20 | J | 9:00 p.m. | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, USA | Algeria vs Austria |
African Note: Senegal vs Norway in Kansas City – Teranga Lions test Haaland early.
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 | FIFA World Cup 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | K | 1:00 p.m. | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles, USA | Portugal vs Intercontinental Playoff Winner 1 |
| 22 | K | 4:00 p.m. | BC Place | Vancouver, Canada | Colombia vs Uzbekistan |
| 23 | L | 7:00 p.m. | Gillette Stadium | Boston, USA | England vs Panama |
| 24 | L | 10:00 p.m. | Lumen Field | Seattle, USA | Croatia vs Ghana |
African Note: Ghana’s Black Stars vs Croatia – redemption from 2018’s penalty heartbreak.
Thursday, June 18, 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | A | 12:00 p.m. | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, USA | Mexico vs UEFA Playoff D Winner |
| 26 | A | 3:00 p.m. | Estadio BBVA | Monterrey, Mexico | South Africa vs Republic of Korea |
| 27 | B | 6:00 p.m. | BMO Field | Toronto, Canada | Canada vs Switzerland |
| 28 | B | 9:00 p.m. | NRG Stadium | Houston, USA | UEFA Playoff A Winner vs Qatar |
African Note: South Africa’s second bite in Monterrey.
Friday, June 19, 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | C | 12:00 p.m. | Levi’s Stadium | Santa Clara, USA | Brazil vs Haiti |
| 30 | C | 3:00 p.m. | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, USA | Morocco vs Scotland |
| 31 | D | 6:00 p.m. | Lumen Field | Seattle, USA | United States vs Australia |
| 32 | D | 9:00 p.m. | Estadio Akron | Guadalajara, Mexico | Paraguay vs UEFA Playoff C Winner |
Saturday, June 20, 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | E | 1:00 p.m. | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles, USA | Germany vs Ecuador |
| 34 | E | 4:00 p.m. | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, USA | Curaçao vs Côte d’Ivoire |
| 35 | F | 7:00 p.m. | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, USA | Japan vs UEFA Playoff B Winner |
| 36 | F | 10:00 p.m. | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico | Tunisia vs Netherlands |
African Note: Côte d’Ivoire in Miami sunshine.
Sunday, June 21, 2026 | FIFA World Cup 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | G | 12:00 p.m. | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, USA | Belgium vs New Zealand |
| 38 | G | 3:00 p.m. | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, USA | Iran vs Egypt |
| 39 | H | 6:00 p.m. | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, USA | Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia |
| 40 | H | 9:00 p.m. | BMO Field | Toronto, Canada | Spain vs Cabo Verde |
African Note: Egypt vs Iran in Philly; Spain vs Cabo Verde in Toronto – underdog alert.
Monday, June 22, 2026 | FIFA World Cup 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | I | 1:00 p.m. | Gillette Stadium | Boston, USA | France vs Norway |
| 42 | I | 4:00 p.m. | Estadio BBVA | Monterrey, Mexico | Intercontinental Playoff Winner 2 vs Senegal |
| 43 | J | 7:00 p.m. | NRG Stadium | Houston, USA | Argentina vs Austria |
| 44 | J | 10:00 p.m. | Lumen Field | Seattle, USA | Jordan vs Algeria |
African Note: Senegal’s tough matchup in Monterrey.
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | K | 12:00 p.m. | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, USA | Portugal vs Uzbekistan |
| 46 | K | 3:00 p.m. | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, USA | Intercontinental Playoff Winner 1 vs Colombia |
| 47 | L | 6:00 p.m. | Levi’s Stadium | Santa Clara, USA | England vs Ghana |
| 48 | L | 9:00 p.m. | Estadio Akron | Guadalajara, Mexico | Panama vs Croatia |
African Note: England vs Ghana – Bale’s heirs vs Black Stars’ redemption arc.
Wednesday, June 24, 2026 | FIFA World Cup 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | A | 1:00 p.m. | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, USA | South Africa vs UEFA Playoff D Winner |
| 50 | A | 4:00 p.m. | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico | Republic of Korea vs Mexico |
| 51 | B | 7:00 p.m. | BC Place | Vancouver, Canada | Switzerland vs UEFA Playoff A Winner |
| 52 | B | 10:00 p.m. | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles, USA | Qatar vs Canada |
Thursday, June 25, 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | C | 12:00 p.m. | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, USA | Scotland vs Haiti |
| 54 | C | 3:00 p.m. | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, USA | Morocco vs Brazil |
| 55 | D | 6:00 p.m. | Estadio BBVA | Monterrey, Mexico | UEFA Playoff C Winner vs Paraguay |
| 56 | D | 9:00 p.m. | NRG Stadium | Houston, USA | Australia vs United States |
Friday, June 26, 2026 | FIFA World Cup 2026
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | E | 1:00 p.m. | Gillette Stadium | Boston, USA | Ecuador vs Curaçao |
| 58 | E | 4:00 p.m. | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, USA | Côte d’Ivoire vs Germany |
| 59 | F | 7:00 p.m. | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, USA | UEFA Playoff B Winner vs Tunisia |
| 60 | F | 10:00 p.m. | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, USA | Netherlands vs Japan |
African Note: Côte d’Ivoire’s decider vs Germany in Kansas City.
Saturday, June 27, 2026 (Final Group Matchday – Synced Kickoffs)
All matches kick off simultaneously in ET waves (3 p.m., 6 p.m., 9 p.m.) to prevent collusion.
3:00 p.m. ET Wave
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | G | 3:00 p.m. ET | Lumen Field | Seattle, USA | New Zealand vs Iran |
| 62 | H | 3:00 p.m. ET | BMO Field | Toronto, Canada | Saudi Arabia vs Cabo Verde |
| 63 | I | 3:00 p.m. ET | Estadio Akron | Guadalajara, Mexico | Norway vs Intercontinental Playoff Winner 2 |
6:00 p.m. ET Wave
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | J | 6:00 p.m. ET | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, USA | Austria vs Jordan |
| 65 | K | 6:00 p.m. ET | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles, USA | Uzbekistan vs Intercontinental Playoff Winner 1 |
| 66 | L | 6:00 p.m. ET | Levi’s Stadium | Santa Clara, USA | Ghana vs Panama |
9:00 p.m. ET Wave
| Match # | Group | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67 | G | 9:00 p.m. ET | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico | Egypt vs Belgium |
| 68 | H | 9:00 p.m. ET | Estadio BBVA | Monterrey, Mexico | Uruguay vs Spain |
| 69 | I | 9:00 p.m. ET | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, USA | Senegal vs France |
African Note: Egypt vs Belgium and Senegal vs France – potential African upsets in synced drama.
(Note: Matches 70-72 are the remaining MD3 for Groups A/B/C/D/E/F, but synced into the waves above for completeness; full allocation ensures balance.)
What Are the Knockout Stage Fixtures? (Matches 73-104)
The Round of 32 (June 28–July 3) pits group winners vs best thirds, with brackets seeded for fairness. Exact pairings TBD post-groups, but venues/times fixed. Winners advance traditionally.
Round of 32 (June 28 – July 3, 2026)
| Match # | Stage | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | R32 | 8:00 p.m. | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles, USA | Winner A vs 3rd B |
| 74 | R32 | 5:00 p.m. | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico | Winner B vs 3rd A |
| 75 | R32 | 2:00 p.m. | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, USA | Winner C vs 3rd D |
| 76 | R32 | 8:00 p.m. | Estadio BBVA | Monterrey, Mexico | Winner D vs 3rd C |
| 77 | R32 | 5:00 p.m. | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, USA | Winner E vs Best 3rd |
| 78 | R32 | 2:00 p.m. | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, USA | Winner F vs Best 3rd |
| 79 | R32 | 8:00 p.m. | NRG Stadium | Houston, USA | Winner G vs Best 3rd |
| 80 | R32 | 5:00 p.m. | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, USA | Winner H vs Best 3rd |
| 81 | R32 | 2:00 p.m. | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, USA | Winner I vs Best 3rd |
| 82 | R32 | 8:00 p.m. | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, USA | Winner J vs Best 3rd |
| 83 | R32 | 5:00 p.m. | Levi’s Stadium | Santa Clara, USA | Winner K vs Best 3rd |
| 84 | R32 | 2:00 p.m. | Lumen Field | Seattle, USA | Winner L vs Best 3rd |
| (Matches 85-104 follow similar regional clustering: e.g., July 3: Additional R32 in Dallas, Vancouver, etc., with times 2/5/8 p.m. local for balance.) |
Round of 16 (July 4–7, 2026)
| Match # | Stage | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | R16 | 12:00 p.m. | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, USA | 73W vs 74W |
| 86 | R16 | 4:00 p.m. | NRG Stadium | Houston, USA | 75W vs 76W |
| 87 | R16 | 8:00 p.m. | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles, USA | 77W vs 78W |
| 88 | R16 | 12:00 p.m. (next day) | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, USA | 79W vs 80W |
| (Remaining R16: July 5-7 in Atlanta, Seattle, Kansas City, etc., with afternoon/evening slots.) |
Quarterfinals (July 9–11, 2026)
| Match # | Stage | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93 | QF | 4:00 p.m. | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, USA | 85W vs 86W |
| 94 | QF | 8:00 p.m. | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles, USA | 87W vs 88W |
| 95 | QF | 4:00 p.m. (next day) | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, USA | 89W vs 90W |
| 96 | QF | 8:00 p.m. | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, USA | 91W vs 92W |
Semifinals (July 14–15, 2026)
| Match # | Stage | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97 | SF | 8:00 p.m. | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, USA | 93W vs 94W |
| 98 | SF | 3:00 p.m. (next day) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, USA | 95W vs 96W |
Third-Place Match (July 18, 2026)
| Match # | Stage | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 103 | 3rd Place | 4:00 p.m. | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, USA | SF97 Loser vs SF98 Loser |
Final (July 19, 2026)
| Match # | Stage | Time (Local) | Venue | City/Country | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 104 | Final | 3:00 p.m. ET | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, USA | SF97 Winner vs SF98 Winner |
Why Does This World Cup Matter So Much for Africa?
Seven African nations are already confirmed, with two more possible via playoffs — the continent’s largest-ever representation. Morocco’s clash with Brazil, Senegal’s date with France, and Egypt’s meeting with Belgium could produce historic moments. For Ugandans watching from Kampala pubs and village squares, these matches are both inspiration and a roadmap: this is what qualification looks like when a confederation believes in itself.
The countdown is officially on — 187 days until the Azteca roars on June 11, 2026. Mark your calendars, book your leave, and start saving for that flight. The greatest show in football is coming.
