FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Schedule (IST): Match Time, Teams, Streaming Channel

FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Schedule (IST): The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be the most expansive tournament in football history, marking a historic collaboration between three host nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

FIFA World Cup 2026 officially kicks off on June 11 and concludes with a grand finale on July 19.

With 16 host cities spread across North America, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature a massive total of 104 matches, representing a major milestone in the FIFA calendar.

Millions of football fans worldwide are expected to tune in for this unprecedented spectacle of global sport.

This year’s FIFA World Cup introduces a new format featuring 48 teams, making it the largest FIFA tournament to date. The teams are divided into 12 groups of four.

In the group stage, every team plays three matches. At the end of the group phase, the top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the knockout rounds.

To complete the field, the eight best third-placed teams will also qualify.

This results in a 32-team knockout bracket, where teams reaching the final will play eight games in total to determine the champion.

Indian fans must prepare for a significant time difference due to the tournament being held on the other side of the globe. Matches will be broadcast late at night and into the early morning hours in India.

Depending on whether the match is held on the East Coast or West Coast, kick-offs in Indian Standard Time (IST) will generally fluctuate between 21:30 IST and 06:30 IST the following morning, as outlined in the FIFA match schedule.

While India did not qualify for the tournament, fans can still follow the world’s biggest football stars. Viewers are advised to plan their viewing schedules accordingly to catch the action live.

FIFA matches in India can be streamed on Zee5.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Schedule (IST)

Tournament Groups

Detailed Group Stage Schedule