FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage Schedule: Full Fixtures, Dates, Stadiums & Host Cities
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage Schedule
Full FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage schedule from June 11-27. See all 12 groups, fixtures, stadiums, and host cities across USA, Canada & Mexico. Bafana Bafana Group A dates included.
Introduction: The Road to Glory Begins
The wait is almost over. From June 11 to June 27, 2026, 48 teams will battle across 12 groups in the largest FIFA World Cup in history. Hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico, this tournament features 104 matches across 16 spectacular host cities.
This complete guide covers:
- Full group stage schedule (Groups A through L)
- Every match, date, and stadium
- Bafana Bafana’s Group A fixtures
- Key matchups to watch
- Host city breakdown
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Tournament Overview: What You Need to Know
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Dates | June 11 – July 19, 2026 |
| Group Stage | June 11 – June 27, 2026 |
| Host Nations | USA, Canada, Mexico |
| Teams | 48 |
| Groups | 12 (A through L) |
| Host Cities | 16 |
| Opening Match | Mexico vs South Africa (June 11, Estadio Azteca) |
View Full Tournament Bracket & Odds
GROUP A: Bafana Bafana’s Road to Knockouts
South Africa returns to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2010. Drawn into Group A alongside hosts Mexico, South Korea, and Czech Republic, Bafana Bafana face a challenging but exciting path.
Group A Teams
| Team | FIFA Ranking |
|---|---|
| Mexico | 15 |
| South Korea | 22 |
| South Africa | 61 |
| Czech Republic | – |
Group A Fixtures
| Date | Match | Stadium | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 11 | Mexico vs South Africa | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City |
| June 12 | South Korea vs Czech Republic | Levi’s Stadium | San Francisco |
| June 17 | Mexico vs Czech Republic | AT&T Stadium | Arlington |
| June 18 | South Korea vs South Africa | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta |
| June 23 | South Africa vs Czech Republic | Gillette Stadium | Boston |
| June 23 | Mexico vs South Korea | Levi’s Stadium | San Francisco |
Key Match: Mexico vs South Africa (June 11)
The tournament opener at the iconic Estadio Azteca is a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opener. Bafana Bafana will look to replicate that famous 1-1 draw – or even better, secure a historic win on Mexican soil.
Bet on Mexico vs South Africa – Get Enhanced Odds
Complete Group Stage Schedule: Groups A to L
GROUP B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
| Date | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| June 12 | Canada vs Qatar | BMO Field, Toronto |
| June 13 | Switzerland vs Bosnia | BC Place, Vancouver |
| June 18 | Canada vs Bosnia | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 19 | Qatar vs Switzerland | Lumen Field, Seattle |
| June 24 | Qatar vs Bosnia | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia |
| June 24 | Canada vs Switzerland | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City |
GROUP C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
| Date | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| June 13 | Brazil vs Haiti | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami |
| June 14 | Morocco vs Scotland | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey |
| June 19 | Brazil vs Morocco | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
| June 20 | Scotland vs Haiti | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 24 | Haiti vs Morocco | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| June 25 | Brazil vs Scotland | Gillette Stadium, Boston |
GROUP D: USA, Australia, Paraguay, Türkiye
| Date | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| June 12 | USA vs Paraguay | SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles |
| June 13 | Australia vs Türkiye | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
| June 18 | USA vs Türkiye | Lumen Field, Seattle |
| June 19 | Australia vs Paraguay | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 24 | Paraguay vs Türkiye | GEODIS Park, Nashville |
| June 25 | USA vs Australia | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City |
GROUP E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
| Date | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| June 13 | Germany vs Curacao | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| June 14 | Ecuador vs Ivory Coast | Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco |
| June 19 | Germany vs Curacao | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey |
| June 20 | Ivory Coast vs Curacao | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 24 | Ivory Coast vs Germany | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia |
| June 25 | Curacao vs Ecuador | Q2 Stadium, Austin |
GROUP F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Sweden
| Date | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| June 14 | Netherlands vs Japan | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami |
| June 15 | Tunisia vs Sweden | BC Place, Vancouver |
| June 20 | Netherlands vs Tunisia | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| June 21 | Japan vs Sweden | Lumen Field, Seattle |
| June 25 | Netherlands vs Sweden | Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco |
GROUP G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
| Date | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| June 13 | Belgium vs Egypt | SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles |
| June 14 | Iran vs New Zealand | BC Place, Vancouver |
| June 19 | Belgium vs Iran | Lumen Field, Seattle |
| June 20 | Egypt vs New Zealand | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 24 | New Zealand vs Egypt | GEODIS Park, Nashville |
| June 25 | Belgium vs Iran | Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco |
GROUP H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde
| Date | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| June 14 | Spain vs Cape Verde | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
| June 15 | Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey |
| June 20 | Spain vs Uruguay | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| June 21 | Saudi Arabia vs Cape Verde | Q2 Stadium, Austin |
| June 25 | Cape Verde vs Uruguay | GEODIS Park, Nashville |
| June 25 | Spain vs Saudi Arabia | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami |
GROUP I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq
| Date | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| June 15 | France vs Iraq | SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles |
| June 16 | Senegal vs Norway | Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco |
| June 21 | France vs Senegal | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey |
| June 22 | Norway vs Iraq | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 26 | Iraq vs Senegal | Q2 Stadium, Austin |
| June 27 | France vs Norway | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City |
GROUP J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
| Date | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| June 15 | Argentina vs Algeria | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami |
| June 16 | Austria vs Jordan | BC Place, Vancouver |
| June 21 | Argentina vs Austria | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 22 | Algeria vs Jordan | Lumen Field, Seattle |
| June 26 | Jordan vs Algeria | Q2 Stadium, Austin |
| June 26 | Argentina vs Austria | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey |
GROUP K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo
| Date | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| June 16 | Portugal vs DR Congo | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| June 17 | Colombia vs Uzbekistan | Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco |
| June 22 | Portugal vs Colombia | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey |
| June 23 | Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | GEODIS Park, Nashville |
| June 27 | DR Congo vs Colombia | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 27 | Portugal vs Uzbekistan | Lumen Field, Seattle |
GROUP L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
| Date | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| June 16 | England vs Panama | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
| June 17 | Croatia vs Ghana | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami |
| June 22 | England vs Ghana | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 23 | Croatia vs Panama | GEODIS Park, Nashville |
| June 27 | Panama vs Ghana | Q2 Stadium, Austin |
| June 27 | England vs Croatia | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey |
*Source: FIFA Official Schedule *
All 16 Host Cities & Stadiums
| City | Stadium | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | Estadio Azteca | Mexico |
| Monterrey | Estadio BBVA | Mexico |
| Guadalajara | Estadio Akron | Mexico |
| Toronto | BMO Field | Canada |
| Vancouver | BC Place | Canada |
| Los Angeles | SoFi Stadium | USA |
| San Francisco | Levi’s Stadium | USA |
| Seattle | Lumen Field | USA |
| Arlington | AT&T Stadium | USA |
| Houston | NRG Stadium | USA |
| Kansas City | Arrowhead Stadium | USA |
| New Jersey | MetLife Stadium | USA |
| Atlanta | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | USA |
| Miami | Hard Rock Stadium | USA |
| Boston | Gillette Stadium | USA |
| Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field | USA |
| Nashville | GEODIS Park | USA |
| Austin | Q2 Stadium | USA |
Must-Watch Group Stage Matches
| Match | Date | Why Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico vs South Africa | June 11 | Tournament opener + Bafana Bafana |
| USA vs Australia | June 25 | Host nation vs dark horse |
| Brazil vs Morocco | June 19 | 2022 semi-final rematch |
| Argentina vs Austria | June 21 | Lionel Messi’s final World Cup? |
| England vs Croatia | June 27 | 2018 semi-final rematch |
| Portugal vs Colombia | June 22 | Cristiano Ronaldo’s swan song |
How to Watch World Cup 2026 in South Africa
| Broadcaster | Coverage |
|---|---|
| SABC Sport | Select matches (free-to-air) |
| SuperSport | All matches (subscription) |
| SportyTV | All 104 matches for R10 |
Get SportyTV – All 104 Matches for R10
FAQ – FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage
When does the 2026 World Cup start?
The tournament kicks off on June 11, 2026, with Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
How many groups are there in the 2026 World Cup?
There are 12 groups (A through L), each with 4 teams.
How many teams advance from each group?
The top 2 teams from each group plus 8 best third-place teams advance to the Round of 32.
When is Bafana Bafana’s first match?
Bafana Bafana face Mexico on June 11, 2026 at 21:00 SAST.
Where can I watch World Cup matches in South Africa?
Matches will be broadcast on SABC Sport, SuperSport, and SportyTV (all 104 matches for R10).
What is the group stage schedule?
The group stage runs from June 11 to June 27, 2026.
Which teams are the favorites?
Brazil, Argentina, France, England, and hosts USA are among the pre-tournament favorites.
Where is the World Cup final?
The final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026.
Final Thoughts
The FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage promises 17 days of non-stop football action across North America. From Bafana Bafana’s opener against Mexico to England vs Croatia and Brazil vs Morocco, every match matters.
Key dates for South African fans:
- June 11 – Mexico vs South Africa (tournament opener)
- June 18 – South Korea vs South Africa
- June 23 – South Africa vs Czech Republic
48 teams. 12 groups. 1 dream. The World Cup is almost here.
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