Clearing your calendar for a summer of football? You’re in the right place. We’ve pulled together the full World Cup 2026 kickoff times UK BST all group stage matches schedule. Every single fixture. From the opening whistle on June 11 to the final group-stage games. And yes — every time is in British Summer Time (BST). No mental gymnastics required. Whether you’re cheering on England, following Scotland, or just here for the spectacle, this guide has you covered for the 48-team tournament’s opening phase.
World Cup 2026 kickoff times UK BST all group stage matches schedule
For UK fans, the 2026 World Cup group stage features 13 different kickoff times spanning from 5:00 PM to 5:00 AM BST.World Cup 2026 kickoff times UK BST all group stage matches schedule.Prime evening fixtures—including the opening match and England’s group games—fall neatly between 5:00 PM and 11:00 PM BST, while West Coast matches stretch into the early hours.
Understanding the 2026 World Cup Group Stage
Things look different this time. For the first time ever, the World Cup has 48 teams. They’re split into 12 groups of four. Each side plays three matches. That means 72 games in the opening round alone. Simple math: top two from each group go through. Then the eight best third-placed teams join them. That makes a 32-team knockout bracket starting June 28. The group stage runs June 11 to June 27. Three host countries — Mexico, Canada, and the United States. It’s going to be non-stop.
Mastering the Clock: UK BST Kick-off Times
The tournament takes place in summer. The UK will be on British Summer Time (UTC+1). We’ve converted every kick-off to BST. So you can set your alarms without worrying about local time zones. Want an example? An 8pm local kick-off in New York is 1am BST. Same time in Los Angeles? That’s 4am BST. We’ve done the conversions for you. But keep in mind: FIFA can tweak official times. So check back here for updates.
Complete Group Stage Schedule – Day by Day
Below is the day-by-day breakdown of all 72 group matches. Each table shows the group, fixture, host venue, and kick-off time in UK BST.
Thursday, June 11 (Opening Match)
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Mexico vs South Africa | Mexico City, 8pm | 2am (June 12) |
Friday, June 12
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | South Korea vs Czech Republic | Zapopan, 3am | 9am |
| B | Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina | Toronto, 8pm | 1am (June 13) |
Saturday, June 13
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | USA vs Paraguay | Los Angeles, 2am | 10am |
| B | Qatar vs Switzerland | Santa Clara, 8pm | 3am (June 14) |
| C | Brazil vs Morocco | New Jersey, 11pm | 4am (June 14) |
Sunday, June 14
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Haiti vs Scotland | Foxborough, 2am | 7am |
| D | Australia vs Turkey | Vancouver, 5am | 1pm |
| E | Germany vs Curacao | Houston, 6pm | 11pm |
| F | Netherlands vs Japan | Arlington, 9pm | 2am (June 15) |
Scotland fans, take note. Set that early alarm for 7am against Haiti.
Monday, June 15
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | Ivory Coast vs Ecuador | Philadelphia, 12am | 5am |
| F | Sweden vs Tunisia | Guadalupe, 3am | 9am |
| H | Spain vs Cape Verde | Atlanta, 5pm | 10pm |
| G | Belgium vs Egypt | Seattle, 8pm | 3am (June 16) |
| H | Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay | Miami, 11pm | 4am (June 16) |
Tuesday, June 16
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | Iran vs New Zealand | Los Angeles, 2am | 10am |
| I | France vs Senegal | New Jersey, 8pm | 1am (June 17) |
| I | Iraq vs Norway | Foxborough, 11pm | 4am (June 17) |
Wednesday, June 17
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| J | Argentina vs Algeria | Kansas City, 2am | 8am |
| J | Austria vs Jordan | Santa Clara, 5am | 1pm |
| K | Portugal vs DR Congo | Houston, 6pm | 11pm |
| L | England vs Croatia | Arlington, 9pm | 2am (June 18) |
England’s opener is a late-night one. 2am BST. Perfect for those who don’t mind trading sleep for the beautiful game.
Thursday, June 18
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | Ghana vs Panama | Toronto, 12am | 5am |
| K | Uzbekistan vs Colombia | Mexico City, 3am | 9am |
| A | Czech Republic vs South Africa | Atlanta, 5pm | 10pm |
| B | Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina | Los Angeles, 8pm | 3am (June 19) |
| B | Canada vs Qatar | Vancouver, 11pm | 6am (June 19) |
Friday, June 19
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Mexico vs South Korea | Zapopan, 2am | 8am |
| D | USA vs Australia | Seattle, 8pm | 3am (June 20) |
| C | Scotland vs Morocco | Foxborough, 11pm | 4am (June 20) |
Saturday, June 20
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Brazil vs Haiti | Philadelphia, 1.30am | 6.30am |
| D | Turkey vs Paraguay | Santa Clara, 4am | 12pm |
| A | Netherlands vs Sweden | Houston, 6pm | 11pm |
| E | Germany vs Ivory Coast | Toronto, 9pm | 2am (June 21) |
Sunday, June 21
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | Ecuador vs Curacao | Kansas City, 1am | 7am |
| F | Tunisia vs Japan | Guadalupe, 5am | 11am |
| H | Spain vs Saudi Arabia | Atlanta, 5pm | 10pm |
| G | Belgium vs Iran | Los Angeles, 8pm | 3am (June 22) |
| H | Uruguay vs Cape Verde | Miami, 11pm | 4am (June 22) |
Monday, June 22
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | New Zealand vs Egypt | Vancouver, 2am | 10am |
| J | Argentina vs Austria | Arlington, 6pm | 11pm |
| I | France vs Iraq | Philadelphia, 10pm | 3am (June 23) |
Tuesday, June 23
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Norway vs Senegal | Toronto, 1am | 6am |
| J | Jordan vs Algeria | Santa Clara, 4am | 12pm |
| K | Portugal vs Uzbekistan | Houston, 6pm | 11pm |
| L | England vs Ghana | Foxborough, 9pm | 2am (June 24) |
Wednesday, June 24
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | Panama vs Croatia | Foxborough, 12am | 5am |
| K | Colombia vs DR Congo | Zapopan, 3am | 9am |
| B | Switzerland vs Canada | Vancouver, 8pm | 3am (June 25) |
| B | Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar | Seattle, 8pm | 3am (June 25) |
| C | Morocco vs Haiti | Atlanta, 11pm | 4am (June 25) |
| C | Scotland vs Brazil | Miami, 11pm | 4am (June 25) |
Thursday, June 25
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | South Africa vs South Korea | Guadalupe, 2am | 8am |
| A | Czech Republic vs Mexico | Mexico City, 2am | 8am |
| E | Curacao vs Ivory Coast | Philadelphia, 9pm | 2am (June 26) |
| E | Ecuador vs Germany | New Jersey, 9pm | 2am (June 26) |
Friday, June 26
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | Tunisia vs Netherlands | Kansas City, 12am | 6am |
| F | Japan vs Sweden | Arlington, 12am | 6am |
| D | Turkey vs USA | Los Angeles, 3am | 11am |
| D | Paraguay vs Australia | Santa Clara, 3am | 11am |
| I | Norway vs France | Foxborough, 8pm | 1am (June 27) |
| I | Senegal vs Iraq | Toronto, 8pm | 1am (June 27) |
Saturday, June 27 (Final Group Games)
| Group | Match | Venue (Local Time) | UK BST |
|---|---|---|---|
| H | Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia | Houston, 1am | 7am |
| H | Uruguay vs Spain | Zapopan, 1am | 7am |
| G | New Zealand vs Belgium | Vancouver, 4am | 12pm |
| G | Egypt vs Iran | Seattle, 4am | 12pm |
| L | Panama vs England | New Jersey, 10pm | 3am (June 28) |
| L | Croatia vs Ghana | Philadelphia, 10pm | 3am (June 28) |
Tiebreakers and Regulations
Every goal matters. A lot. If teams finish level on points, FIFA uses these criteria: goal difference, total goals scored, head-to-head results, then fair play points (disciplinary record). Still tied? They draw lots. It’s a system designed to reward the most deserving teams. The Round of 32 is the prize.
Tournament FAQ
- Are these times fixed? They’re correct as of May 2026. But FIFA can adjust for broadcast needs.
- Where can I watch in the UK? Check BBC and ITV listings as the tournament approaches. They’ll have official broadcast details.
- How do I convert local time to BST? For North American games, just subtract the difference from our BST listings. That’ll give you the local feel.
Looking Ahead
The group stage isn’t the end. After the final whistle on June 28, the knockout rounds begin. We’ll be right here with a fresh schedule. So keep this site bookmarked. You now have the complete World Cup 2026 kickoff times UK BST all group stage matches schedule at your fingertips. Grab your snacks. Set those alarms. It’s going to be a historic summer of football.