FIFA has announced start times for all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup, scheduling the final for 3 p.m. EDT on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to enable prime-time viewing in Europe. Japan's Samurai Blue will face the Netherlands in their opener on June 14 in Arlington, Texas.
FIFA announced the schedule for the 48-nation expanded World Cup across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico on Saturday, a day after the draw. The final will kick off at 3 p.m. EDT on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, enabling 9 p.m. viewing in Europe and 8 p.m. in Britain. The open-air venue has an average July 19 temperature of 83 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius), with a RealFeel of 89 (32).
Chief tournament officer Manolo Zubiria said, “We’ve tried to basically strike the right balance looking at the preparation, the recovery that the teams have to do in this very large footprint, the biggest World Cup ever, 16 cities, three countries, different climatic conditions, time zones.” Goals included minimizing travel for teams and fans while optimizing global broadcast times.
There are 54 daytime games and 50 starting at 6 p.m. or later local time, with 24 of 32 knockout matches as daytime affairs. FIFPRO, the players' union, warned in June of “extremely high risk” of heat-related injury for afternoon games in Kansas City and Miami Gardens, “very high risk” in Foxborough, Guadalajara, and Philadelphia, and “high risk” in East Rutherford and Inglewood.
Japan's Samurai Blue opens against the Netherlands on June 14 in Arlington, Texas, faces Tunisia on June 20 in Mexico—Monterrey per Japan Today, but Guadalupe per Japan Times—and a European qualifier on June 25 in Arlington. The opener is June 11 in Mexico City between Mexico and South Africa at 1 p.m. local (3 p.m. EDT). Semifinals are July 14 at 2 p.m. (3 p.m. EDT) in Arlington and 3 p.m. the next day in Atlanta.
Reigning champions Argentina start against Algeria in Kansas City on June 16, followed by Austria and Jordan in Arlington. FIFA President Gianni Infantino noted of a Houston match, “It will be played in Houston, which is a closed venue, indoor, so nobody can complain about heat or weather or wind or whatever.” Seventy-eight games will be in the U.S., including all from quarterfinals onward, with 13 each in Canada and Mexico.