The group stage schedule for the 2026 World Cup features fascinating matchups, with early predictions pointing to a Messi-Ronaldo showdown.
VietNamNet brings you the full schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to take place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The tournament promises fierce matchups, iconic venues, and the potential for legendary encounters between football’s greatest stars.
A Messi vs Ronaldo quarterfinal clash is highly anticipated.
Group Stage (local kickoff times to be confirmed):
June 11 Mexico vs South Africa – Group A – Mexico City South Korea vs UEFA Playoff Path D – Group A – Guadalajara
June 12 Canada vs UEFA Playoff Path A – Group B – Toronto USA vs Paraguay – Group D – Los Angeles
June 13 Brazil vs Morocco – Group C – Boston or New York/New Jersey Australia vs UEFA Playoff Path C – Group D – Vancouver Haiti vs Scotland – Group C – Boston or New York/New Jersey Qatar vs Switzerland – Group B – San Francisco Bay Area
June 14 Germany vs Curaçao – Group E – Philadelphia or Houston Ivory Coast vs Ecuador – Group E – Philadelphia or Houston Netherlands vs Japan – Group F – Dallas or Monterrey UEFA Playoff Path B vs Tunisia – Group F – Dallas or Monterrey
June 15 Spain vs Cape Verde – Group H – Miami or Atlanta Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay – Group H – Miami or Atlanta Belgium vs Egypt – Group G – Los Angeles or Seattle Iran vs New Zealand – Group G – Los Angeles or Seattle
June 16 France vs Senegal – Group I – New York/New Jersey or Boston Intercontinental Playoff winner vs Norway – Group I – New York/New Jersey or Boston Argentina vs Algeria – Group J – Kansas City or San Francisco Bay Area Austria vs Jordan – Group J – Kansas City or San Francisco Bay Area
June 17 England vs Croatia – Group L – Toronto or Dallas Ghana vs Panama – Group L – Toronto or Dallas Portugal vs Intercontinental Playoff winner – Group K – Houston or Mexico City Uzbekistan vs Colombia – Group K – Houston or Mexico City
June 18 UEFA Playoff Path D vs South Africa – Group A – Atlanta Switzerland vs UEFA Playoff Path A – Group B – Los Angeles Canada vs Qatar – Group B – Vancouver Mexico vs South Korea – Group A – Guadalajara
June 19 Brazil vs Haiti – Group C – Philadelphia or New York/New Jersey Scotland vs Morocco – Group C – Philadelphia or New York/New Jersey UEFA Playoff Path C vs Paraguay – Group D – San Francisco Bay Area USA vs Australia – Group D – Seattle
June 20 Germany vs Ivory Coast – Group E – Toronto or Kansas City Ecuador vs Curaçao – Group E – Toronto or Kansas City Netherlands vs UEFA Playoff Path B – Group F – Houston or Monterrey Tunisia vs Japan – Group F – Houston or Monterrey
June 21 Spain vs Saudi Arabia – Group H – Miami or Atlanta Uruguay vs Cape Verde – Group H – Miami or Atlanta Belgium vs Iran – Group G – Los Angeles or Vancouver New Zealand vs Egypt – Group G – Los Angeles or Vancouver
June 22 France vs Intercontinental Playoff winner – Group I – New York/New Jersey or Philadelphia Norway vs Senegal – Group I – New York/New Jersey or Philadelphia Argentina vs Austria – Group J – Dallas or San Francisco Bay Area Jordan vs Algeria – Group J – Dallas or San Francisco Bay Area
June 23 England vs Ghana – Group L – Boston or Toronto Panama vs Croatia – Group L – Boston or Toronto Portugal vs Uzbekistan – Group K – Houston or Guadalajara Colombia vs Intercontinental Playoff winner – Group K – Houston or Guadalajara
June 24 Scotland vs Brazil – Group C – Miami or Atlanta Morocco vs Haiti – Group C – Miami or Atlanta Canada vs Switzerland – Group B – Vancouver UEFA Playoff Path A vs Qatar – Group B – Seattle Mexico vs UEFA Playoff Path D – Group A – Mexico City South Korea vs South Africa – Group A – Monterrey
June 25 Ecuador vs Germany – Group E – Philadelphia or New York/New Jersey Curaçao vs Ivory Coast – Group E – Philadelphia or New York/New Jersey Tunisia vs Netherlands – Group F – Dallas or Kansas City Japan vs UEFA Playoff Path B – Group F – Dallas or Kansas City USA vs UEFA Playoff Path C – Group D – Los Angeles Paraguay vs Australia – Group D – San Francisco Bay Area
June 26 Norway vs France – Group I – Boston or Toronto Senegal vs Intercontinental Playoff winner – Group I – Boston or Toronto New Zealand vs Belgium – Group G – Seattle or Vancouver Egypt vs Iran – Group G – Seattle or Vancouver Uruguay vs Spain – Group H – Houston or Guadalajara Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia – Group H – Houston or Guadalajara
June 27 Panama vs England – Group L – New York/New Jersey or Philadelphia Croatia vs Ghana – Group L – New York/New Jersey or Philadelphia Jordan vs Argentina – Group J – Kansas City or Dallas Algeria vs Austria – Group J – Kansas City or Dallas Colombia vs Portugal – Group K – Miami or Atlanta Intercontinental Playoff winner vs Uzbekistan – Group K – Miami or Atlanta
Knockout stages
Round of 32: June 28 – July 3 Round of 16: July 4 – July 7 Quarterfinals: July 9 – July 11 Semifinals: July 14 – 15 - AT&T Stadium, Arlington & Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Third-place match: July 18 - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens Final: July 19 - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
The Messi-Ronaldo scenario
According to projected tournament paths, Argentina - led by Lionel Messi - and Portugal - featuring Cristiano Ronaldo - could meet in the quarterfinals if both teams top their groups.
Argentina (Group J) faces Austria, Algeria, and Jordan. Portugal (Group K) is grouped with Colombia, Uzbekistan, and a winner from the intercontinental playoffs. Both sides are considered favorites to advance as group leaders.
If that happens, and each side wins their matches in the Round of 32 and Round of 16, they could clash on July 11, 2026, in Kansas City - a potential final international showdown between the two legends.
Argentina’s path may include Uruguay (Round of 32), Paraguay or Iran (Round of 16), Portugal (Quarterfinal), and then potentially Brazil or England in the Semifinal before a possible final against France or Spain.