The once-in-four-year football carnival is back and no matter which part of the world you live in, nothing unites fans more than the FIFA World Cup. The United States, Mexico and Canada are hosting the marquee tournament this year, and it gets underway on Thursday.
Hosts Mexico will play their first game against South Africa in a Group A fixture at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The match comes sixteen years after the same teams played against each other at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The tournament begins on June 11 with hosts Mexico taking on South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and concludes with the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The group stage will run until June 27 before the tournament moves into the newly introduced Round of 32, where the race to the final truly begins.
The Mexico-South Africa game will start at 12:30 a.m. Indian Standard Time on Friday, while the second match in Group A between South Korea and Czechia will be played from 7:30 a.m. IST on Friday.
A total of 104 matches will be held at FIFA World Cup 2026, including 78 in the US, and 13 each in Mexico and Canada. The FIFA World Cup will have its first-ever half-time show in the final.
Groups:
- Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, Czechia
- Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
- Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
- Group D: United States, Paraguay Australia, Turkiye
- Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
- Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
- Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
- Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia Uruguay
- Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
- Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
- Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
- Group L: England. Croatia, Ghana, Panama
How Does The FIFA World Cup 2026 Format Work?
The expanded World Cup features 12 groups of four teams each, labelled Groups A to L. Every team plays three group-stage matches in a round-robin format.
A total of 32 teams will advance to the knockout rounds. The top two teams from each group automatically qualify, accounting for 24 places. They will be joined by the eight best third-placed teams across all groups, determined by points, goal difference and goals scored.
The new format introduces a Round of 32, meaning teams must navigate an additional knockout match on their path to lifting the trophy.
ALSO READ: Zee's FIFA World Cup Bet Gains Traction; Mahindra, Diageo, Apple Among Brands Tying For Ads
How To Watch Live Telecast?
For a long time, football fans in India were concerned about whether or not the tournament would be broadcasted in the country. Weeks ahead of the 2026 edition, the Zee Group acquired the rights to broadcast and stream the big-ticket event in India.
All the matches will be telecasted on Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD and Unite8 Sports 2, Unite8 Sports 2 HD.
ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 Telecast: Where To Watch On TV In India? Check Channel Numbers
How To Watch Live Streaming?
Fans in India can watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 on the Zee5 app and website in India.
ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule: Group Fixtures, Timings, Key Matches To Watch, Live Streaming Details
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
