Latest News About When Does World Cup Start

Core answer: The 2026 FIFA World Cup starts on June 11, 2026, with the opening matches in North America (Mexico City, Toronto, and Inglewood), and the tournament runs through July 19, 2026. The opening ceremony details have not been officially released, but kickoff for the opening matches is scheduled for the day of the tournament start.

Latest context and what’s changing:

• Host nations: United States, Canada, and Mexico. This is the first World Cup hosted by three nations and the first with 48 teams, expanding from the previous format.[1]
• Opening matches: The schedule confirms the opening matches on June 11, 2026, including Mexico vs. South Africa in Mexico City, and Canada and the United States also hosting their group-stage openers in their respective cities.[4][1]
• Final date: The final is planned for July 19, 2026, in North America as part of the 39-day schedule.[3]

Notes and practical details:

• Time zones: Kickoff times are listed in local times; you can convert to your local zone if needed (ET 3:00 PM was cited for the opening match in one source, but check the official FIFA schedule for the exact broadcast times in your region).[1]
• Opening ceremony: FIFA has not published official details on the ceremony date/time or performers; it is commonly aligned with the opening day events but may occur before the first group-stage matches.[1]

If you’d like, I can pull the latest, official schedule and provide a day-by-day rundown with kickoff times in your local time (Los Angeles, PT) and a simple calendar export. I can also summarize how the 48-team format affects group-stage structure and match quotas. Here are a few quick questions to tailor the info:

• Do you want the full schedule in your local time for all Group Stage games?
• Are you interested in opening-day viewing options and broadcast channels in the US?