Sports · 11 June, 2026 · 2 min read
Mexico Plays South Africa in Group A Opener at Estadio Azteca on June 11
World Cup 2026 will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament features 104 matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
How viewers should approach watching the expanded schedule.
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Same story, two versions
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The Guardian
“we have picked a more manageable number to make sure you watch during the group stage.”Read the original ↗
The Independent
“every single game in the competition will be available to watch on free-to-air TV for UK viewers”Read the original ↗
One urges selection; another stresses access to all matches.
Group stage on June 11
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup is scheduled to begin on June 11 with Mexico playing South Africa in Mexico City, with the tournament set to run through July 19.
“Mexico v South Africa 11 June, 8pm (all times BST)”
The Guardian’s guide to group-stage viewing points to Mexico v South Africa on 11 June at 8pm BST at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, describing it as a repeat of the opening game of the 2010 World Cup.
Sky Sports’ day-by-day schedule lists the same opener as Mexico 2-0 South Africa with a kick-off of 8pm on Thursday, June 11 in Mexico City.
For UK viewers, The Independent’s TV schedule also places Mexico vs South Africa in the Group A opener at 8pm BST on ITV 1, ITV X, STV and STV Player on Thursday 11 June.
Where to watch in UK
The Independent says every single game in the 2026 World Cup will be available to watch on free-to-air TV for UK viewers, with kick-off times including slots at 6pm BST and 8pm BST.T
It then lists specific broadcast options for England and Scotland games, including England vs Croatia on 15 June at 9pm BST on ITV 1, ITV X, STV and STV Player.
BBC Sport’s coverage similarly frames the tournament as “almost here,” noting that the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico is “the biggest World Cup in history with 48 teams taking place.”
In the same BBC listing, the match-by-match viewing guide is tied to “where and how to watch England and Scotland games and kick-off times,” with the publication date shown as 6 June 2026.
Full schedule and format
Al Jazeera’s match guide says the tournament will open on June 11 at 1pm CST (19:00 GMT) at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City, and it sets the final for July 19 at 3pm ET (19:00 GMT) at MetLife Stadium, which it says will be called the New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament.
“Group stage: June 11 – June 27”
It also lays out the competition’s stage structure, stating “Group stage: June 11 – June 27” and “Round of 32: June 28 – July 3,” followed by the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final on July 19.
The Guardian’s viewing list connects the group stage to the expanded format, saying the expansion to 48 teams means 72 group games will be played just to narrow the competition down to 32 sides.
Sky Sports’ schedule likewise describes a 37-day tournament with “103 matches leading up to the final on July 19,” and it provides the day-by-day matchups and UK kick-off times across the group stage.