FIFA World Cup 2026: Indian fans mark these dates and timings to watch your favourites

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is underway, and football fans in India can now plan their viewing schedules with the tournament's complete fixture list. FIFA has released the official match calendar for the expanded 48-team competition, featuring every group-stage fixture, knockout match, venue and kick-off time through to the final on July 19.

Hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, the 2026 edition is the largest World Cup in history, with 104 matches spread across 16 host cities. Since the official schedule is published in Eastern Time (ET), Indian viewers may find it useful to refer to an IST-based fixture list to keep track of matches taking place late at night and in the early hours of the morning.

Check the full pdf here

Where can Indian fans stream the matches online?

All FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will be available for live streaming on Zee5. Viewers can watch the tournament on mobile phones, laptops and smart TVs through the platform. 

 

FIFA World Cup 2026: Upcoming Matches and IST Timings

June 14 (Sunday)

• Germany vs Curaçao — 10:30 PM IST
• Netherlands vs Japan — 1:30 AM IST (June 15)
• Côte d'Ivoire vs Ecuador — 4:30 AM IST (June 15)
• Sweden vs Tunisia — 7:30 AM IST (June 15)

June 15 (Monday)

• Spain vs Cabo Verde — 9:30 PM IST
• Belgium vs Egypt — 12:30 AM IST (June 16)
• Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay — 3:30 AM IST (June 16)
• Iran vs New Zealand — 6:30 AM IST (June 16)

When did the FIFA World Cup 2026 begin?

The tournament began on June 11, 2026, with hosts Mexico defeating South Africa 2-0 in the opening match of Group A. The competition will conclude with the final on July 19, 2026.

 

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FIFA World Cup 2026 groups

The 48 teams have been divided into 12 groups:

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czechia

Group B: Canada, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye

Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

 

How does the new World Cup format work?

The 2026 tournament features a new 48-team format. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will progress to the Round of 32.

The knockout phase then continues through the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, bronze-final match and final.

 

FIFA World Cup 2026 key dates

• Group Stage: June 11–27
• Round of 32: June 28–July 3
• Round of 16: July 4–7
• Quarter-finals: July 9–11
• Semi-finals: July 14–15
• Bronze Final: July 18
• Final: July 19

 

FIFA World Cup 2026 timings in India

The official FIFA fixture list is published in Eastern Time (ET), which is 9 hours and 30 minutes behind Indian Standard Time (IST).

This means:

• 12 PM ET = 9:30 PM IST
• 3 PM ET = 12:30 AM IST (next day)
• 6 PM ET = 3:30 AM IST (next day)
• 9 PM ET = 6:30 AM IST (next day)

 

As a result, many World Cup matches will be played during late-night and early-morning hours for viewers in India.

With fixtures running until July 19, the official schedule PDF remains the easiest way for fans to track every match, follow their favourite teams and stay updated on kick-off timings throughout the tournament.