FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule in IST & Where to Watch in India
The biggest World Cup ever — 48 teams, 104 matches, across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Because matches are played in North American time zones, kickoffs in India fall late at night or early morning. Here's everything you need: match timings in IST, the full group lineup, and exactly where to stream every game live in India.
Match Timings: What IST Should Expect
Stadiums across the US, Canada and Mexico span Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones — roughly 9.5 to 12.5 hours behind IST. In practice, that means most World Cup 2026 matches will kick off in India between 9:30 PM and 9:30 AM. Evening matches on the East Coast (around 7–8 PM ET) land at roughly 4:30–5:30 AM IST the next day, while early afternoon kickoffs (12–1 PM local) land around 9:30–10:30 PM IST the same day.
Tournament Format
- 48 teams — the largest World Cup field ever, up from 32
- 12 groups of 4 teams (Group A through Group L)
- Group stage: June 11 – June 27, 2026
- Top 2 from each group, plus the best 8 third-placed teams, advance to a 32-team knockout round
- Opening match: Mexico vs South Africa, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City — June 11
- Final: July 19, New York/New Jersey Stadium
Groups A–L
Group A
Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Czechia
Group B
Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C
Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Group D
USA, Australia, Paraguay, Turkey
Group E
Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
Group F
Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Sweden
Group G
Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
Group H
Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde
Group I
France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq
Group J
Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K
Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo
Group L
England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana