2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule Sets U.S. Match Dates

Houston soccer viewers from EaDo to Spring will be tracking the 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule now that tournament dates and host-city plans are in place. The event will run across the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer, giving local bars, watch parties and travel planners a long runway before the opening match.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first men’s tournament with 48 teams. FIFA has scheduled the competition from June 11, 2026, through July 19, 2026, with the final set for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Matches will be played across 16 host cities in North America, expanding the event’s footprint well beyond a single nation.

2026 FIFA World Cup schedule starts June 11

The opening match is set for June 11, 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, according to the schedule outlined by CBS News. The United States will host the bulk of the tournament’s matches, including every game from the quarterfinals onward except one semifinal in Mexico. Canada and Mexico will also host group-stage and knockout-round matches.

FIFA previously confirmed the host cities for the United States: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle. Mexico’s host cities are Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Canada will host games in Toronto and Vancouver.

Houston is among the U.S. host cities

Houston’s role in the tournament is already set through its selection as one of the U.S. host markets. The city’s matches are expected to be played at NRG Stadium, the same venue chosen during the bid process. The CBS News report focused on the overall schedule and television information, not a city-by-city match list, so specific Houston fixtures were not detailed there.

For local residents, the timetable matters for more than ticket sales. Travel demand, hotel occupancy and restaurant traffic often rise around major international sports events. Match assignments and kickoff times for each host city will shape those local plans once FIFA releases the full venue schedule in greater detail.

How to watch the tournament in the United States

CBS News reported that U.S. television coverage details are part of the broader rollout for the tournament. Fox holds English-language U.S. media rights for FIFA World Cup matches through 2026, while Spanish-language coverage is expected through Telemundo under existing FIFA rights agreements. Streaming availability will follow those broadcast arrangements closer to the event.

The tournament format will also be larger than any previous men’s World Cup. The field expands from 32 to 48 national teams, increasing the total number of matches and extending the calendar. That larger schedule will affect travel windows, broadcast planning and local operations in host cities such as Houston.

More detailed match-by-match information, including exact dates for games in Houston, is expected as FIFA and broadcasters move closer to the June 2026 start.

This article is a summary of reporting by CBS News. Read the full story here.