HLA

World Cup 2026 Schedule, UK Kick-Off Times & Venues

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from Thursday 11 June to Sunday 19 July 2026, hosted across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It's the first 48-team World Cup — 104 matches in total. Use this guide to plan your HLA fantasy transfers and captain picks.

Key dates

  • Opening match
    Mexico City — group stage begins
    Thu 11 Jun 2026
  • Group stage
    12 groups of 4, 72 matches
    11–27 Jun 2026
  • Round of 32
    Top two from each group + best 8 third-placed
    28 Jun – 3 Jul 2026
  • Round of 16
    Single-leg knockout
    4–7 Jul 2026
  • Quarter-finals
    8 teams remain
    9–11 Jul 2026
  • Semi-finals
    4 teams remain
    14–15 Jul 2026
  • Third-place play-off
    Miami
    Sat 18 Jul 2026
  • Final
    MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
    Sun 19 Jul 2026

UK kick-off times — what to expect

UK is on BST (UTC+1) during the tournament. As a rough guide:

  • Mexico (CDT/CST)
    Kick-offs usually 18:00–02:00 UK time
  • US East Coast (EDT)
    Kick-offs usually 17:00–01:00 UK time
  • US Central (CDT)
    Kick-offs usually 18:00–02:00 UK time
  • US West Coast (PDT)
    Kick-offs usually 20:00–04:00 UK time

Exact UK kick-off times for each fixture will be confirmed by FIFA closer to the tournament.

All 16 host venues

Atlanta
USA
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Boston
USA
Gillette Stadium (Foxborough)
Dallas
USA
AT&T Stadium (Arlington)
Houston
USA
NRG Stadium
Kansas City
USA
Arrowhead Stadium
Los Angeles
USA
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood)
Miami
USA
Hard Rock Stadium
New York / New Jersey
USA
MetLife Stadium
Philadelphia
USA
Lincoln Financial Field
San Francisco Bay Area
USA
Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara)
Seattle
USA
Lumen Field
Toronto
Canada
BMO Field
Vancouver
Canada
BC Place
Guadalajara
Mexico
Estadio Akron
Mexico City
Mexico
Estadio Azteca
Monterrey
Mexico
Estadio BBVA

How the schedule shapes your fantasy picks

  • Group stage (11–27 Jun): three matches per team in two weeks — captain a player from a side with two favourable fixtures.
  • Round of 32 (28 Jun – 3 Jul): 32 of 48 teams advance, so most squads keep contributing — defer big transfers until after this round.
  • Quarter-finals onward: only 8 teams left. Use your remaining transfers to consolidate around the deepest-running nations.
  • Late-night kick-offs: West Coast matches (LA, Seattle, San Francisco) start late in the UK — set your team before the deadline, don't rely on a last-minute switch.