World Cup 2026 start date: Full schedule for tournament

Seth Vertelney, USA TODAYTue, June 2, 2026 at 4:35 PM UTC

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The 2026 World Cup is now just days away.

Mexico and South Africa face off on Thursday, June 11 to kick off the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

This will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams and also the first time there will be three host countries.

Here is everything you as excitement builds for the largest World Cup ever.

When does the 2026 World Cup start?

June 11 is the first day of competition, with Mexico facing South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The game is a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opener, which ended in a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg.

Later that day, Czechia and South Korea face off at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara.

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On June 12, the other two host countries begin play. The U.S. men's national team takes on Paraguay in Los Angeles while Canada hosts Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.

When does 2026 World Cup group stage end?

The group stage runs through June 27, with the 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group advance automatically along with the eight best third-place finishers.

World Cup 2026 power rankings: Counting down all 48 teams

World Cup 2026 knockout rounds schedule

For the first time, the knockout round will begin with the round of 32. That means the team that lifts the trophy will have to win five knockout matches instead of four.

Here is how the knockout round schedule shapes up.

Round of 32: June 28-July 3

Round of 16: July 4-7

Quarterfinals: July 9-11

Semifinals: July 14-15

Third-place game: July 18 (Miami Gardens, Florida)

Final: July 19 (East Rutherford, New Jersey)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When does 2026 World Cup start? Full schedule

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Source: “AOL Sports”