World Cup fixtures for the first three days

The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada, gets underway this Thursday, June 11, 2026, marking the end of the four-year wait and the start of over a month of riveting football action.

The opening ceremony of the games will include performances from musicians Burna Boy and Rihanna in Mexico City.

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Here is the complete schedule for the opening matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026, featuring the opening day fixtures alongside the games scheduled for the first Saturday and Sunday of the tournament.

Times are in East African time.

Opening Day Fixtures

The tournament officially kicks off on Thursday, June 11, 2026, with co-hosts Mexico welcoming South Africa in the curtain-raiser in what will be a repeat of the 2010 opener in which the latter hosted the Mexicans.

The remaining co-hosts, Canada and the USA, will take to the pitch the following day. Canada will play Bosnia as Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT plays Paraguay.

Brazil will be the headline team on Saturday, June 13, 2026, on the schedule. Carlo Ancelotti’s team get their campaign underway against Morocco in New York. The team is expected to be without the injured star. Neymar is doubtful for the opening clash, while also recently being forced to hand a late call-up to Ederson following an injury to Wesley.

Sunday Fixtures

The action continues on Sunday, June 14, 2026, highlighted by former world champions Germany and the Netherlands entering the tournament. The four-time winners who last lifted the World Cup in 2014 will face Curacao in their opening match at 8:00 pm in Houston, Texas.