2026 World Cup Group Stage: Dates and Key Fixtures

The group stage of the 2026 World Cup kicks off in two weeks, featuring a total of 72 matches. The tournament expands to 48 nations, with the top two teams from each group advancing to a 32‑team knockout round.

Host nation Mexico opens the competition on June 11 against South Africa at the Azteca Stadium. Mexico will also face South Korea on June 18 and the Czech Republic on June 24.

The group format allows for surprise results and even a third‑place team to vie for a round‑of‑16 spot. Fans will be watching closely as their favorites strive for early victories.

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