With an expanded 48-team format and a tri-host arrangement across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the tournament promises more football than ever before. That abundance complicates scheduling, particularly for a UK audience navigating time differences.
Below is a handy guide to kick-off times, broadcast channels, and how to follow every match live.
When does the 2026 World Cup start?
The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to begin on June 11th, 2026, with the final set for July 19th, 2026. The expanded format means a total of 104 matches, up from 64 in Qatar 2022, spread across multiple time zones.
For UK viewers, this translates into a mixture of afternoon, evening and late-night kick-offs. Matches staged on the US East Coast are expected to fall into more familiar viewing slots, while fixtures on the West Coast will push towards midnight and beyond.
BBC and ITV retain shared rights in UK
In the United Kingdom, broadcast rights are again split between the BBC and ITV. This long-standing arrangement ensures every match is available free-to-air, a rarity in modern football broadcasting.
Both broadcasters will share fixtures throughout the tournament, including knockout matches. The final itself is typically simulcast, as seen in previous editions, allowing viewers to choose their preferred commentary and presentation style.
Matches will be available to stream via BBC iPlayer and ITVX.
Where to watch each group stage fixture
Thursday, June 11th 2026
20:00 BST - Mexico v South Africa (Group A) - ITV, STV, ITVX, STV Player
Friday, June 12th 2026
03:00 BST - South Korea v Czech Republic (Group A) - ITV, ITVX
20:00 BST - Canada v Bosnia-Herzegovina (Group B) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
Saturday, June 13th 2026
02:00 BST - USA v Paraguay (Group D) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
20:00 BST - Qatar v Switzerland (Group B) - ITV, ITVX
23:00 BST - Brazil v Morocco (Group C) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
Sunday, June 14th 2026
02:00 BST - Haiti v Scotland (Group C) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
05:00 BST - Australia v Turkey (Group D) - ITV, ITVX
18:00 BST - Germany v Curacao (Group E) - ITV, ITVX
21:00 BST - Netherlands v Japan (Group F) - ITV, ITVX
Monday, June 15th 2026
00:00 BST - Ivory Coast v Ecuador (Group E) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
03:00 BST - Sweden v Tunisia (Group F) - ITV, ITVX
17:00 BST - Spain v Cape Verde (Group H) - ITV, ITVX
20:00 BST - Belgium v Egypt (Group G) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
23:00 BST - Saudi Arabia v Uruguay (Group H) - ITV, ITVX
Tuesday, June 16th 2026
02:00 BST - Iran v New Zealand (Group G) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
20:00 BST - France v Senegal (Group I) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
23:00 BST - Iraq v Norway (Group I) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
Wednesday, June 17th 2026
02:00 BST - Argentina v Algeria (Group J) - ITV, ITVX
05:00 BST - Austria v Jordan (Group J) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
18:00 BST - Portugal v DR Congo (Group K) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
21:00 BST - England v Croatia (Group L) - ITV, STV, ITVX, STV Player
Thursday, June 18th 2026
00:00 BST - Ghana v Panama (Group L) - ITV, ITVX
03:00 BST - Uzbekistan v Colombia (Group K) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
17:00 BST - Czech Republic v South Africa (Group A) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
20:00 BST - Switzerland v Bosnia-Herzegovina (Group B) - ITV, ITVX
23:00 BST - Canada v Qatar (Group B) - ITV, ITVX
Friday, June 19th 2026
02:00 BST - Mexico v South Korea (Group A) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
20:00 BST - USA v Australia (Group D) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
23:00 BST - Scotland v Morocco (Group C) - ITV, STV, ITVX, STV Player
Saturday, June 20th 2026
02:00 BST - Brazil v Haiti (Group C) - ITV, ITVX
05:00 BST - Turkey v Paraguay (Group D) - ITV, ITVX
18:00 BST - Netherlands v Sweden (Group F) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
21:00 BST - Germany v Ivory Coast (Group E) - ITV, ITVX
Sunday, June 21st 2026
01:00 BST - Ecuador v Curacao (Group E) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
05:00 BST - Tunisia v Japan (Group F) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
17:00 BST - Spain v Saudi Arabia (Group H) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
20:00 BST - Belgium v Iran (Group G) - ITV, ITVX
23:00 BST - Uruguay v Cape Verde (Group H) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
Monday, June 22nd 2026
02:00 BST - New Zealand v Egypt (Group G) - ITV, ITVX
18:00 BST - Argentina v Austria (Group J) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
22:00 BST - France v Iraq (Group I) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
Tuesday, June 23rd 2026
01:00 BST - Norway v Senegal (Group I) - ITV, ITVX
04:00 BST - Jordan v Algeria (Group J) - ITV, ITVX
18:00 BST - Portugal v Uzbekistan (Group K) - ITV, ITVX
21:00 BST - England v Ghana (Group L) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
Wednesday, June 24th 2026
00:00 BST - Panama v Croatia (Group L) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
03:00 BST - Colombia v DR Congo (Group K) - ITV, ITVX
20:00 BST - Bosnia-Herzegovina v Qatar (Group B) - ITV, ITVX
20:00 BST - Switzerland v Canada (Group B) - ITV, ITVX
23:00 BST - Morocco v Haiti (Group C) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
23:00 BST - Scotland v Brazil (Group C) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
Thursday, June 25th 2026
02:00 BST - Czech Republic v Mexico (Group A) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
02:00 BST - South Africa v South Korea (Group A) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
21:00 BST - Curacao v Ivory Coast (Group E) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
21:00 BST - Ecuador v Germany (Group E) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
Friday, June 26th 2026
00:00 BST - Japan v Sweden (Group F) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
00:00 BST - Tunisia v Netherlands (Group F) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
03:00 BST - Paraguay v Australia (Group D) - ITV, ITVX
03:00 BST - Turkey v USA (Group D) - ITV, ITVX
20:00 BST - Norway v France (Group I) - ITV, ITVX
20:00 BST - Senegal v Iraq (Group I) - ITV, ITVX
Saturday, June 27th 2026
01:00 BST - Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia (Group H) - ITV, ITVX
01:00 BST - Uruguay v Spain (Group H) - ITV, ITVX
04:00 BST - Egypt v Iran (Group G) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
04:00 BST - New Zealand v Belgium (Group G) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
22:00 BST - Croatia v Ghana (Group L) - ITV, ITVX
22:00 BST - Panama v England (Group L) - ITV, STV, ITVX, STV Player
Sunday, June 28th 2026
00:30 BST - Colombia v Portugal (Group K) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
00:30 BST - DR Congo v Uzbekistan (Group K) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
03:00 BST - Algeria v Austria (Group J) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
03:00 BST - Jordan v Argentina (Group J) - BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport
Channels for World Cup 2026 knockout stage matches are TBC, depending on results.
Both BBC and ITV have broadcast rights to show the World Cup final live.