The summer of 2026 will give fans what they wait four whole years for — the FIFA World Cup kicks off. And this tournament promises to be unlike anything before: three host countries, one and a half times more national teams, and the best footballers from across the planet will take the field. Below we break down when the opening is, which teams will play, what time matches start, and how to watch the World Cup from Russia.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming FIFA World Cup
When and Where Will the 2026 World Cup Take Place
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will span nearly a month and a half — from June 11 to July 19. The main feature is that for the first time, the tournament is shared among three countries: the bulk of the load falls on the USA (11 cities), with several more matches hosted by Mexico (three cities) and Canada (two). A total of 16 venues will be used.
For the first time, the World Cup will be held across three countries
The World Cup will begin in Mexico City: on June 11, Mexico’s national team will play at the historic Azteca Stadium. This arena will go down in history as the first to host matches at three different World Cups. For convenience, we’ve compiled the World Cup matches through June 14.
June 11 (Thursday)
- 22:00 — Mexico vs. South Africa
June 12 (Friday)
- 05:00 — Korea vs. Czech Republic
- 22:00 — Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
June 13 (Saturday)
- 04:00 — USA vs. Paraguay
- 22:00 — Qatar vs. Switzerland
June 14 (Sunday)
- 01:00 — Brazil vs. Morocco
- 04:00 — Haiti vs. Scotland
- 07:00 — Australia vs. Turkey
- 20:00 — Germany vs. Curaçao
- 23:00 — Netherlands vs. Japan
The World Cup Final will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium near New York, which holds over 82,000 spectators. During halftime of the final, there will be a major musical show — almost like the Super Bowl.
How Many Teams Will Play at the 2026 World Cup
The tournament has grown significantly. While previously 32 national teams competed for the cup, now 48 teams will play at the World Cup, and the number of matches has increased to 104. Because of this, a new stage has appeared in the bracket — the Round of 32, which didn’t exist before. There are also plenty of newcomers: for example, tiny Curaçao became the smallest country ever to reach the final stage.
For the first time, the World Cup will have this many participants
The list of World Cup favorites is familiar — Spain, France, England, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Portugal. However, Italy won’t be at the World Cup, just like other top teams. For example, Chile, Hungary, Denmark, and Serbia. Nevertheless, Russian viewers will have a huge selection to choose from.
What Time Are the 2026 World Cup Matches in Moscow Time
There’s a nuance worth preparing for in advance — the time difference. North America runs significantly behind Moscow, so 2026 World Cup matches will air in the evening and at night: the earliest around 20:00–22:00 Moscow time, while games on the west coast will be well past midnight, approximately from 04:00 to 06:00. The opening match in Mexico City, for instance, will fall at approximately 22:00 Moscow time.
Matches will be very late. But it might be worth it
Why is the World Cup schedule so inconvenient? Games are spread across multiple time zones of three countries, and some matches are set for local daytime slots. The logic is simple: daytime slots are more convenient for global television and attract more viewers. The downside for the host countries themselves is the summer heat, for which daytime matches have already been criticized. Russians will have to adjust their sleep schedules for the most interesting games. You can check the schedule on the Match TV website.
Where to Watch the 2026 World Cup in Russia
Good news for fans: you can watch the FIFA World Cup in Russia for free. The rights to all 104 matches went to the Match TV channel — some games will air on the main channel, while the rest will be distributed across themed channels (“Match! Football” and others).
You can watch the World Cup on Match TV, as well as on Okko and Kinopoisk
No TV nearby — no problem. Live streams will be available on the matchtv.ru website and in the channel’s official app, without a subscription or registration. The app can be installed on a smartphone, Smart TV, or set-top box from RuStore — the app isn’t available on Google Play due to sanctions. If the app you need isn’t in your store, there are guides available on how to install it when it’s unavailable in your country.
At the same time, Match TV isn’t the only option. Games will also be rebroadcast on the online platforms Kinopoisk and Okko, as well as on the websites and apps of major bookmakers (for example, Winline), which have rebroadcast rights for matches. However, bookmaker access usually requires registration. In short, there are plenty of ways to watch the World Cup — choose whatever’s most convenient.
Who to Root for at the 2026 World Cup
Since Russia’s national team isn’t at the tournament, you’ll have to choose who to follow at the 2026 World Cup. Obviously, many will root for Spain: after all, they’re the reigning European champions and the top-ranked FIFA team. They play technical, combination-based football and are considered the main favorites, so there’s a good chance of celebrating a victory.
There will be plenty of intrigue at the tournament
Here are a few more options — from obvious powerhouses to those worth following purely out of curiosity.
