FIFA World Cup 2026 Kickoff Time Converter
All 72 group-stage matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 converted to your local timezone. Filter by team or group, pick the matches you care about, and download them to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook with one click.
Last updated: May 2026 — FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off June 11, 2026.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Kickoff Time Converter shows every group-stage match of the 2026 tournament in your local timezone. With 16 host cities spread across three countries and seven time zones — from Vancouver (UTC-7) to Mexico City (UTC-6) to Miami (UTC-4) — fans abroad need a quick way to see when their team plays. This tool converts all 72 group-stage matches and lets you export selected matches to your calendar as a standard .ics file.
How to Use the Kickoff Time Converter
By default, the tool detects your browser's timezone and shows every match in your local time. If you are watching from a different timezone, pick yours from the dropdown. You can also filter by team (to follow England, Brazil, Argentina, or any other qualifier), by group (A through L), or by matchday (1 through 3). Tick the box next to any match to add it to your calendar export. Click Download Calendar (.ics) to get a standard calendar file that imports cleanly into Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and every other major calendar app.
Group-Stage Schedule Summary
The 2026 World Cup group stage runs from June 11 to June 27. There are 72 matches total — 6 in each of the 12 groups. The opening match is Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca on June 11. Group winners and runners-up advance directly to the Round of 32. The 8 best third-placed teams also advance, with the cutline decided after the final group match on June 27.
Matchday 1 (June 11-17)
The opening week features the host nations playing first: Mexico opens the tournament on June 11, Canada and the United States both play June 12. Group A opens on June 11, Group L closes the first round on June 17. Most days feature 6-8 matches across multiple time zones.
Matchday 2 (June 18-23)
The middle round of group games sees teams in survival mode. Goal difference often becomes the key tiebreaker, so this is when underdogs push for upsets. Matchdays 2 features simultaneous kickoffs in the final group games to prevent collusion.
Matchday 3 (June 24-27)
The most dramatic round of the group stage. Within each group, both matches kick off at the same time so neither team knows the other result. June 27 features Group L deciders — Panama vs England and Croatia vs Ghana — at 5 PM Eastern. The 8 best third-placed teams are confirmed within hours of the last whistle on June 27.
Why Calendar Export Matters
The 2026 World Cup is the first to spread across three host countries and a wide range of time zones. A Brazilian fan in São Paulo watching their team in San Francisco starts the match at 4 PM local. A Japanese fan watching the same Argentina match would be looking at 8 AM the next morning. Without a personalized calendar, missing kickoff times is almost guaranteed. The .ics file generated by this tool drops your selected matches into your phone or laptop calendar automatically, with notifications so you do not miss the start.
Tips for Following the World Cup Live
Set calendar reminders 30 minutes before kickoff so you have time to settle in. For knockout matches that may go to extra time and penalties, block at least 3 hours on your calendar. If you are following multiple teams, color-code them by group or region. For host-country fans in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, expect early-evening kickoffs midweek. For fans in Europe, expect very late-night and early-morning matches. For fans in Asia, expect early-morning and morning matches.