The wait is over. From June 11, the biggest World Cup ever — 48 teams, 104 matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico — finally gets going. The opening weekend front-loads the drama: all three host nations play, and the tournament's signature venues take their bow.
Here is what to watch as the group stage begins. All times Eastern.
Thursday, June 11 — it starts at the Azteca
- Mexico v South Africa — 3 p.m. ET, Estadio Azteca. The opener, and the first time any stadium has hosted three of them (NBC Sports). It reunites coaches Javier Aguirre and Hugo Broos, who shared this pitch as players in 1986 — the full story is in our opener preview.
- South Korea v Czechia — 10 p.m. ET, Estadio Akron, Guadalajara. The other half of Group A, and a genuine coin-flip for second.
Friday, June 12 — Canada and the USA arrive
- Canada v Bosnia-Herzegovina — 3 p.m. ET, BMO Field, Toronto. Co-hosts Canada open at home in Group B.
- United States v Paraguay — 9 p.m. ET, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood. Mauricio Pochettino's hosts begin their Group D campaign with a clear brief: get out of the group and chase a quarter-final on home soil (US Soccer).
Saturday, June 13 — the field fills out
- Qatar v Switzerland — 3 p.m. ET, Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara.
- Australia v Turkey — 12 a.m. ET, BC Place, Vancouver.
3 host nations, 6 matches, 3 days — the opening weekend of a 48-team World Cup. Source: NBC Sports
Three quick reasons to be excited
- The hosts all play early. Mexico, USA and Canada are in action inside 48 hours of kick-off.
- New venues, big stages. SoFi, BC Place and the iconic Azteca all feature on the first weekend.
- The format rewards the brave. With eight best third-placed teams advancing, even a slow start need not be fatal.
How to follow along
Lock in your picks before each kick-off on the predictions page — selections close when the referee starts the match. Track the tables in real time on the standings page, and plot the road to the final with our bracket.
It has been a long build-up. Opening weekend is where the talking finally stops.
Sources
- NBC Sports — 2026 World Cup schedule, dates, times, stadiums
- US Soccer — Pochettino names 26-player roster
Kickoff XI is an independent publication and is not affiliated with FIFA.
