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World Cup 2026 Group Stage Kickoff Times by Time Zone

By · Engineering contributor6 min read

Group stage kickoffs at 12:00, 15:00, 18:00 and 21:00 local — converted to UTC and 20+ major world cities. Plan your viewing across the group phase (11 June – 27 June 2026).

Quick answer: Group stage matches are scheduled in four slots at local host time — 12:00, 15:00, 18:00, 21:00. The exact UTC time depends on which host city (UTC−4 to UTC−8) the match is in.

Standard slots converted to UTC

  • Mexico City host (UTC−6): 12:00 → 18:00 UTC, 15:00 → 21:00 UTC, 18:00 → 00:00 UTC, 21:00 → 03:00 UTC.
  • Eastern US/Toronto (UTC−4 EDT): 12:00 → 16:00 UTC, 15:00 → 19:00 UTC, 18:00 → 22:00 UTC, 21:00 → 01:00 UTC.
  • Pacific US (UTC−7 PDT): 12:00 → 19:00 UTC, 15:00 → 22:00 UTC, 18:00 → 01:00 UTC, 21:00 → 04:00 UTC.

Related

Frequently asked

How many group stage matches are at World Cup 2026?
72 — 12 groups of 4 teams playing 3 matches each. The 16 best third-placed teams join the 24 group winners and runners-up in a new round of 32.
Are all group stage matches in the same time slot?
No. FIFA spreads kickoffs across 12:00, 15:00, 18:00 and 21:00 local time so fans in different regions can watch live.

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