FIFA Announces Match Schedule for 2026 World Cup

FIFA has confirmed the details regarding the rollout of the match schedule for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, with a live broadcast scheduled to occur 24 hours after the draw on Friday.

In a notable departure from previous tournaments, the venues and kick-off times for all 104 matches will not be released simultaneously with the group announcements. Instead, FIFA will strategically allocate matches to the most suitable venues, taking into consideration the four different time zones across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The complete match schedule will be unveiled starting at 12 p.m. ET (5 p.m. GMT) on Saturday. FIFA President Gianni Infantino will be accompanied on stage by FIFA legends to present the match allocations and provide in-depth analysis.

FIFA remarked, “The match allocation process following the draw aims to ensure optimal conditions for all teams and spectators while facilitating the ability for fans worldwide to watch their teams live across various time zones.”

The finalized version of the match schedule is expected to be made available in March, following the FIFA and European play-offs, which will fill the last six qualification slots.

The World Cup draw itself is set to take place at 12 p.m. ET in Washington, D.C. A total of 48 teams, including placeholders for the six teams yet to qualify through upcoming playoffs in March, will be organized into four pots of 12 teams based on the latest FIFA World Rankings. Each World Cup group will consist of one team from each pot.