FIFA 2026 WORLD CUP DRAW

The draw for the 48 teams competing in the FIFA 2026 tournament took place on Friday, December 5th. The match times were announced on Saturday, December 6th.

While the main 2026 World Cup draw happened on December 5th, six spots remain, filled by teams emerging from playoffs in March 2026, including European powerhouses like Italy, Sweden, Poland, Ukraine, and others like Iraq, DR Congo, and potentially teams from CONCACAF/CONMEBOL, meaning teams like the Netherlands, France, Argentina, etc., already have opponents determined in their groups. However, some European/Intercontinental playoff winners are still TBD.

The following is a summary of the draw, including teams/matches, venues, and start times:

The following matches will be played at MetLife Stadium. Some prestigious teams are playing at MetLife Stadium, which is exciting. I was looking forward to the draw, but, more importantly, as an operator, I was interested in the match times.

Group Stage

• 6/13, Saturday at 6:00 p.m.: Brazil vs Morocco
• 6/16, Tuesday at 3:00 p.m.: France vs Senegal
• 6/22, Monday at 8:00 p.m.: Norway vs Senegal
• 6/25, Thursday at 4:00 p.m.: Ecuador vs Germany
• 6/27, Saturday at 5:00 p.m.: Panama vs England

Round of 32

• 6/30, Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.: Group I winners vs CDFGH third place

Round of 16

• 7/5, Sunday at 4:00 p.m.: Winner of matches 76 and 78

Final

• 7/19, Sunday at 3:00 p.m.: Final

The sixteen Host Committees that support FIFA in the home markets where the matches will be played have been working over the past two years on planning the matches and non-match days. Knowing the teams and the times the matches will be played at the respective venues will allow numerous stakeholders to begin finalizing plans and enter the execution phase.

As the Chief Venues Officer for the New York New Jersey Host Committee, the times of the matches are significant. MetLife Stadium will host eight matches, including the final match. There will be four weekend matches and four weekday matches. The mobility plan (transportation) is still being finalized, and the match times have been the missing link. The four weekend matches are less of a concern than the weekday matches, given the region’s morning and afternoon commutes.

The group-stage schedule is heavy on evening local kickoffs, a departure from FIFA’s traditional preference for globally optimized broadcast windows. Several matches begin as late as 9:00 p.m. locally, especially on weekends, suggesting FIFA incorporated lessons from the heat-related challenges seen during this past summer’s Club World Cup. The schedule reduces exposure to the hottest parts of the day, even if it means giving up some European-friendly start times.

East Coast host cities will have their hands full with FIFA Fan Fest logistics due to late West Coast match start times, including two of the three U.S. group stage games kicking off at 10:00 p.m. EST. For cities planning to screen all 104 matches at their fan fests, four games that begin at midnight ET could raise concerns about security, staffing, and transportation.

The New York New Jersey Host Committee is planning to operate a Fan Fest at Liberty State Park, New Jersey, for the 39 days of the tournament. Planning for the Fan Fest operation will begin in earnest now that the match times have been announced. It will be interesting to see what the operating times will be each day.

I have been involved in the planning of numerous events during my 39 years in the sports and entertainment venues and events management industry. But none of these events come close to the planning of the 2026 World Cup.

I will provide updates on the 2026 World Cup during 2026 (March, June, and September).

I wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday and a terrific 2026.

All the very best.

Posted December 16, 2025