The FIFA World Cup 2026 officially gets underway on Thursday night, with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening match of the quadrennial event. India which is 9.5 to 12.5 hours ahead of the host cities, will air matches late night or early morning.
International film artist Shakeera is amongst those who will perform at the opening ceremony that will commence 90 minutes before the tournament opener that will be aired across multiple platforms in India.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature a total of 48 teams competing for the top prize in the world. In total, 104 matches will be held in the tournament across the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico. It is the first time that the World Cup is being held in three different countries.
All 72 group-stage matches run from 11 June to 27 June, in the tournament’s full schedule, across the USA, Canada and Mexico. Because matches kick off in the North American afternoon and evening, most land in India’s late night or early-morning hours. The 11 June opener, Mexico vs South Africa, kicks off at 12:30 a.m. IST on 12 June. Group-stage slots cluster in three IST bands: late evening, post-midnight, and early morning.
The final is played on 19 July in New York/New Jersey — that’s 12:30 a.m. IST on 20 July, a Monday morning in India.