After much anticipation, the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is here, and there is so much to look forward to. Hosted across three North American nations, the scope of the World Cup is larger than ever before, and that is definitely reflected in the amount of content viewers can tune in to from home.
When we say the scope is larger than before, we don’t just mean that hosting duties are spread across three countries and 16 cities. The actual tournament is bigger than ever before, with 48 teams competing for the title of world’s best, as opposed to the previous 32. That means, instead of 64 matches, this World Cup will feature a whopping 104 matches!
Aside from more soccer than ever before, we are also getting more entertainment, with countdown concerts and opening ceremonies with A-list talent scheduled to set the tone for the event. For the first time, there will also be major performances during the final as well.
If you don’t want to miss a single moment, we’ve got you covered with your ultimate FIFA World Cup 2026 watch guide, broken down by event type.
How to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremonies
By now, we have established that the FIFA World Cup 2026 is doing things a bit differently, and, of course, that applies to its opening ceremony as well. Or, more factually, opening ceremonies. That’s right, the World Cup Opening Ceremony has always been a spectacle that attracts millions of viewers, but for the first time in the history of the tournament, this year there will be three different opening ceremonies, each one taking place in one of the hosting countries, i.e., Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
The first opening ceremony will take place in Mexico on June 11 at 1:30 p.m. local time (same as EDT), 90 minutes before the kick-off match between Mexico and South Africa. The main attraction will be a performance by Shakira and Burna Boy, who will take to the stage at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City to perform the first-ever live rendition of “Dai Dai,” the official World Cup 2026 song. (“Dai Dai” supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is aiming to raise $100 million “to expand access to quality education and football opportunities for children worldwide.”)
Aside from Shakira and Burna Boy, who serve as headliners, the Opening Ceremony in Mexico will also feature appearances by the likes of Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, and Tyla. Many of these artists are part of the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album. Los Ángeles Azules and Belinda are expected to perform “Por Ella,” Danny Ocean will sing “Partidazo,” and Alejandro Fernández will take on “Mi México Lindo.”
The second opening ceremony will take place in Canada, on June 12 at 1:30 p.m. local time (same as EDT), also 90 minutes before the kick-off between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The ceremony will be hosted at BMO Field in Toronto. Performers for the Canadian opening ceremony include Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream, and William Prince.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement that “the opening ceremony in Toronto will be a powerful reflection of Canada’s identity and the energy surrounding the FIFA World Cup 2026.” Elyanna and Jessie Reyez are expected to perform their collaboration “Illuminate,” and Nora Fatehi, Vegedream, and Sanjoy will follow suit with "Siir Siir," both also part of the tournament’s official album.
The third and final opening ceremony will take place in the United States, also on June 12. The celebrations will start at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, at 4:30 p.m. local time (7:30 p.m. EDT), before the kickoff between the US and Paraguay. Confirmed performers include Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, BLACKPINK’s Lisa, Rema, and, once again, Tyla. Anitta, Lisa, and Rema are expected to perform “Goals,” while Future and Tyla will team up for “Game Time” together. Per FIFA, “additional world-renowned artists [are] still to be announced.” Infantino said the Los Angeles opening ceremony “represents the extraordinary scale of what the FIFA World Cup 2026 will become.”
In the US, the opening ceremonies will be available to watch on Fox and also for free via Tubi.
How to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 countdown concerts
Before the opening ceremonies, countdown concerts are also taking place in all host countries and will be streamed globally on TikTok. The FIFA Countdown Concerts are described as a “synchronized multi-city live concert" and will be in collaboration with the Grammys. They will also be able to stream on demand via VuMe Live after the live events.
As confirmed on Instagram, the Mexico City FIFA Countdown Concert starts on June 10 at 6:00 p.m. CST (8:00 p.m. ET) as part of México Vibra, with performances by Andrea Bocelli, Los Ángeles Azules, Belinda, and Elena Rose.
The Toronto FIFA Countdown Concert begins on June 10 at 9 p.m. ET, per FIFA, and will feature performances by The Beaches (yes, the group that Hannah and Garrett bond over and love in Off Campus!), Bryan Adams, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream, as well as AHI and Wyclef Jean.
The Los Angeles FIFA Countdown Concert will take place at Crypto.com Arena on June 10, with the livestreaming beginning at 6 p.m. PT (9:00 p.m. ET), per FIFA. Performers include BIA, Diplo's Major Lazer, Davido, and Ava Max. Ava Max and BIA are expected to perform their FIFA collaboration "Energy."
How to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches
If you are ready to tune into the main attraction, the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage matches will begin on June 11 with two matches (Mexico vs. South Africa and South Korea vs. Czechia). June 12 will also feature two games (Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina and United States vs. Paraguay—9 p.m). From June 13–23, there will be four daily games, and the cadence will increase to six games from June 23–27.
Starting June 28, the round of 32 will feature the qualified teams from the group stage. Then it’s onto the round of 16 (July 4–7), the quarterfinals (July 9–11), and the semifinals (July 14–15). The third-place final takes place on July 18, and the grand finale, which will crown the world champion, is on July 19.
You can see the initial match pair-ups and when they are taking place, including EDT timings, below:
Now, to answer the question: how can I watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches?
In the US, Fox will house all 104 English-language free-to-air broadcasts of the games. You can also tune in via a paid live TV streaming service like YouTube TV or a Hulu + Live TV bundle that includes FOX and FS1. You can also tune in via the FOX Sports App or with Fox One as a standalone streaming service. The latter costs $19.99 per month, with a three-day free trial. All of the games will also be available to stream on Fubo through FOX and FS1.
For Spanish-language coverage in the US, Telemundo and its affiliates, including Universo, will broadcast all the World Cup matches. All matches are also available via the Telemundo app. If you have Peacock Premium or Premium Plus, you’ll also be able to tune into all the matches in Spanish. (Select subscribers will have limited access.)
If you are looking to watch for free, Tubi will show simulcasts of two games: Mexico vs. South Africa on June 11 and the United States vs. Paraguay on June 12.
If you are outside of the US, you can check out all international broadcast options here.
How to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 final halftime show
As mentioned above, for the first time, the FIFA World Cup will also host a halftime show, à la Super Bowl, during the final’s intermission on July 19. The final and the halftime show will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, the debut headlining acts for the FIFA World Cup 2026 final halftime show will be Shakira, Madonna, and BTS. The Muppets, from Sesame Street, will also be part of the show.
Much like the official album, the halftime show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The show is a joint effort by FIFA and Global Citizen in partnership with Live Nation and Done + Dusted. You can tune into the show wherever you plan to watch the final. It hasn’t been officially announced, but it’s likely that a replay will be uploaded to FIFA’s official channels after the final.
