FIFA World Cup 2026: Where to watch live in India, streaming details & match timings

The countdown to football's biggest spectacle is nearly over. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will begin on June 11, with hosts Mexico taking on South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

The tournament will run for more than a month and conclude with the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.

This will be the biggest FIFA World Cup ever, with 48 teams competing for the first time, up from 32 teams in previous editions. The 23rd edition of the tournament will feature 104 matches across 16 venues in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Where to watch FIFA World Cup 2026 live in India

Indian football fans can catch all the action live on the Zee5 platform and app. A subscription will be required to access the live streams.

Zee, which acquired the FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast rights in India, has also announced the launch of four dedicated sports television channels under the Unite8 Sports brand.

Live telecast of the matches will be available on Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD channels.

FIFA World Cup 2026 match timings in India

With matches being played across multiple cities in North America, kick-off timings for Indian viewers will vary throughout the tournament. Matches are scheduled to start between 9:30 PM IST and 9:30 AM IST.

FIFA World Cup 2026 groups

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

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

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti

Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye

Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

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

Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq

Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, Colombia, DR Congo, Uzbekistan

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

Tournament format

According to the tournament format, all teams will play each of the other sides in their respective groups once during the league stage.

The top two teams from every group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will qualify for the Round of 32. The competition will then proceed in a knockout format through to the final.

Defending champions Argentina, Messi and Ronaldo in focus

Defending champions Argentina will begin their title defence against Austria in Group J. The tournament could potentially mark the final FIFA World Cup appearances of Lionel Messi, now 38, and Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, now 41.

Five-time champions Brazil will be aiming to lift their first World Cup trophy since 2002 and will hope Neymar Jr can inspire their campaign.

Four-time champions Germany have been drawn in Group E, while England's bid for a second World Cup title will take them through a challenging Group L that also includes Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Last edition's runners-up France are placed in Group I.

Indian-origin players to watch

Indian football fans can also look forward to watching a handful of players of Indian origin during the tournament. Among them are New Zealand midfielder Sarpreet Singh and Qatar duo Niall Mason and Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid. 

With a record 48 teams, 104 matches and a month of football action spread across North America, the FIFA World Cup 2026 promises to be the biggest edition of the tournament yet.