Cliff Notes – Match schedule plan revealed for day after draw
- FIFA will unveil the full match schedule for the 2026 World Cup 24 hours after the draw, starting at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday.
- For the first time, match venues and kick-off times will not be released on the same day as the group draw, with scheduling based on time zones across the host countries.
- The final match schedule will be confirmed in March, following the completion of FIFA and European play-offs to fill the last six tournament slots.
2026 World Cup: Match schedule plan revealed for day after draw
FIFA have confirmed details of the match schedule rollout for next year’s World Cup, with a live broadcast to take place 24 hours after Friday’s draw.
For the first time at a World Cup draw, the venues and kick-off times for all 104 matches won’t be released on the same day as we learn the groups — with FIFA instead placing the games in the best location based on the time zones, of which there are four for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The full schedule will be revealed starting at 12 p.m. ET (5 p.m. GMT) on Saturday, with FIFA saying president Gianni Infantino will be “joined on stage by FIFA legends” to go through the games and give analysis.
“The match allocation process that follows the draw aims to ensure the best possible conditions for all teams and spectators while, where possible, enabling fans all over the world to watch their teams play live across different time zones,” FIFA said on Monday.
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“The final version of the match schedule will be available in March, once the FIFA and European play-offs have taken place and the final six slots have been filled.”
Friday’s World Cup draw takes place at 12 p.m. ET in Washington.
Forty-eight teams, or placeholders when taking into account the six who have playoffs to come in March, will be divided into four pots of 12 teams, using the latest FIFA World Rankings list. Each World Cup group will consist of one team from each pot.
