When is the match?
All 2026 World Cup kickoff times, automatically converted to your timezone.
No upcoming matches found.
Why World Cup kickoff times are confusing for Americans
Most international soccer schedules are written in Central European Time or UTC — neither of which maps neatly onto any American time zone. A match listed as “19:00 CET” is 1:00 PM Eastern, noon Central, 11:00 AM Mountain, and 10:00 AM Pacific. That range of four hours means the same game lands at a completely different part of the day depending on where you live.
The 2026 World Cup is different because matches are played inside the United States, Canada, and Mexico — which means kickoff times are already in North American time zones. But with 16 host cities spanning four time zones, a match in Los Angeles kicks off three hours later than the same game would in Boston. The converter above handles all of this automatically.
The 2026 host city time zones
Early morning warning: Group stage matches in the Eastern time zone may kick off at 9:00 AM or noon ET — prime working hours for most Americans. Games on the West Coast kick off at 6:00 AM or 9:00 AM PT. Set an alarm or check your DVR settings accordingly.
When are the biggest matches?
FIFA typically schedules high-profile group stage matches in later afternoon or early evening slots (3–6 PM local) to maximize US television audiences. The knockout rounds — from the Round of 32 onward — get the prime-time treatment, with quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final usually scheduled for weekend afternoons Eastern time.
The final on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is expected to kick off in the late afternoon Eastern — likely 3:00 PM or 4:00 PM ET — which puts it at noon or 1:00 PM Pacific and in the evening for European viewers.
USA matches in the group stage will be scheduled with American TV windows in mind. Expect those to land in late-afternoon or early-evening Eastern slots wherever possible.
How to read a soccer match listing
A typical match listing looks like: USA vs. England · June 22 · 6:00 PM ET · AT&T Stadium, Dallas. The kickoff time is when the referee blows the first whistle — not when pre-match coverage starts. Fox and Telemundo typically begin coverage 30–60 minutes before kickoff.
Soccer matches run 90 minutes of regulation, plus stoppage time added at the referee's discretion (usually 3–10 minutes per half). A match scheduled at 6:00 PM will likely end around 7:50–8:05 PM, with halftime adding 15 minutes in the middle. Plan your evening accordingly.
Where to watch
In the United States, the 2026 World Cup is broadcast on Fox (English) and Telemundo/Peacock (Spanish). Select matches also stream on Tubi (free, with ads). Canada's rights are with CTV/TSN/RDS. In Mexico, the tournament airs on TV Azteca and Televisa.
The full broadcast schedule will be published closer to each match. Once kickoff times are confirmed, the converter above pulls them automatically from the official tournament data.