World Cup 2026 opening matches
The opening matches of the 2026 World Cup will be played in Mexico City, Toronto and Los Angeles.
United 2026 plans to have 3 matches played on the opening day of the tournament, with each country organizing its own opening match and ceremony. FIFA regulations require that the host nation organizes the opening of the tournament, so the organization complies with this requirement.
The opening match will feature Mexico on June 11, 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Canada's opening match will be on June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto, while the U.S. will play its opening game on the same day at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Each host nation will play its three group stage matches within its own borders.
Because the finals of the World Cups in 1970 and 1986 were played in Mexico City, and in 1994 in Los Angeles, this gives an extra historical value to the opening matches.
When are the opening matches of the 2026 World Cup?
The opening matches are on Thursday, June 11 at 20:00, Friday, June 12 at 20:00, and Saturday, June 13 at 02:00.
| #1) Thu 11 Jun 20:00 | group A | Mexico City | ||
| Mexico |  |
20:00 |  |
South Africa |
| #3) Fri 12 Jun 20:00 | group B | Toronto | ||
| Canada |  |
20:00 |  |
UEFA Play-off A |
| #4) Sat 13 Jun 02:00 | group D | Los Angeles | ||
| United States |  |
02:00 |  |
Paraguay |
Why is the opening match played in Mexico City?
The opening match of the World Cup will be played in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. FIFA chose Mexico City because it is one of the most iconic stadiums in the world and contains many memorable moments from the past half century.
From Pelé in 1970 to Maradona in 1986, the city and its stadium have welcomed some very big names and matches.
Three opening ceremonies at the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will feature three opening ceremonies. This is the first time in World Cup history and aligns with the expansion and commercial development of the tournament.
The three opening ceremonies will take place before the opening matches of the three host nations: Canada, the United States and Mexico.
- June 11, Mexico City: before the match Mexico vs. South Africa, the official opening ceremony of the tournament will be held.
- June 12, Toronto: a ceremony will take place in Toronto prior to Canada’s first match, against the winner of the European play-offs (Bosnia/Italy/Northern Ireland/Wales).
- June 12, Los Angeles: in Los Angeles, a U.S.-based opening ceremony will be held before United States vs. Paraguay, marking the official start of the World Cup on American soil.
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The World Cup 2026 opening game will be played in Los Angeles, Mexico City or New York/New Jersey. 3 games will be played on the first day.
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Author of this content is Patrick. I have been playing soccer for more than 25 years and follow the daily news closely. My hobbies include playing football, running and maintaining various websites, in addition to my job as a financial professional.
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