2026 FIFA World Cup: Fixtures and Schedule

### 2026 FIFA World Cup: Fixtures and Schedule

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the largest global sporting event ever held, with 48 matches across 18 cities in North America, specifically:

- **Host Cities**: Miami, Orlando, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, El Paso, Corpus Christi, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield, Riverside, San Bernardino, Inland Empire, San Francisco Bay Area, San Francisco, Oakland, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Silicon Valley, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Hull, Charlottetown, Halifax, St. John's.

- **Total Matches**: 48 (16 groups of 3 matches each)

- **Duration**: June 17 to July 18, 2026

#### Group Stage

The 24 teams will be divided into four groups of six, and each group will play three matches against other teams within their group. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage.

#### Knockout Stage

The knockout stage consists of 16 matches. It includes:

- **Round of 16**: 8 matches

- **Quarterfinals**: 4 matches

- **Semifinals**: 2 matches

- **Final**: 1 match

The winners of the semifinals will face off for the title, while the losers will compete for the runner-up position.

#### Round of 16

The first round of matches will take place on June 17 and June 19. The draw will be made at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich on May 25, 2025.

#### Quarterfinals

The quarterfinals will take place on June 24 and June 26. The draw for these matches will also be made at the FIFA headquarters on May 25, 2025.

#### Semifinals

The semifinals will take place on June 30 and July 2. The draw for these matches will be made at the FIFA headquarters on May 25, 2025.

#### Final

The final match will take place on July 18, 2026, in the city that hosts the tournament.

### Key Dates

- **June 17 - 19**: Round of 16 matches

- **June 24 - 26**: Quarterfinals matches

- **June 30 - July 2**: Semifinals matches

- **July 18**: Final match

This comprehensive schedule ensures that the tournament is evenly distributed throughout the summer months, providing fans with exciting fixtures and opportunities to watch some of the world’s best players competing on home soil.