The World Cup 2026 schedule Australia guide runs from 12 June to 20 July 2026 in AEST. Every match is on this page in Australian time. All 104 fixtures are now locked in.
Bottom line: 48 teams, 16 cities, 39 days. Every game is free on SBS. The Socceroos play in Group D.
This page lists every match, kick-off time, and host city. All times are AEST (UTC+10). Australia stays on standard time in winter, so there is no daylight saving to adjust. Times can shift, so confirm on official sources before kick-off.
Download Your Free Printable World Cup 2026 Schedule (Australia)
Want the whole tournament on one sheet? Grab the free printable Australia schedule PDF below.
The file gives you:
- All 72 group stage matches, sorted by group.
- The full knockout path, from the Round of 32 to the final.
- Dates, AEST kick-off times, and host cities for every game.
- Every fixture from the opener to the final on one chart.
- A clean navy and gold design built to print at home on A4.
Every kick-off is shown in AEST, so there is no maths to do. Print it, pin it up, and track your picks as the results roll in.
Download the Australia Schedule PDF (AEST)
How to Watch World Cup 2026 in Australia: SBS
Here is the good news for Aussie fans. The whole tournament is free. SBS holds the exclusive Australian rights. All 104 matches air live and free. No subscription is needed. SBS has shown every World Cup since 1986, and 2026 marks its 40th year.
You can watch on these channels and apps:
- SBS (Channel 3): the main free-to-air channel.
- SBS VICELAND (Channel 31): carries matches that clash.
- SBS On Demand: free live streaming, plus replays, mini-matches, and highlights. Sign-up is free.
SBS On Demand works on web, mobile, tablets, and smart TVs. The final and the halftime show are both on SBS.
One myth to clear up: Optus Sport does not have the 2026 World Cup. Optus held the 2022 rights, not 2026. For this tournament, SBS is the only home, and pay-TV platforms only carry SBS channels.
What Time Do World Cup 2026 Matches Kick Off in Australia?
All matches are played in North America. So Australian kick-offs land in the morning and around midday. The opener kicks off at 5:00 AM AEST on Friday 12 June. The first Socceroos game kicks off at 2:00 PM AEST on Sunday 14 June.
Australia has three time zones. The tables on this page use AEST. Here is how the others compare:
| Time zone | Offset | Cities | vs AEST |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEST | UTC+10 | Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane | base |
| ACST | UTC+9:30 | Adelaide, Darwin | 30 min behind |
| AWST | UTC+8 | Perth | 2 hours behind |
So a 2:00 PM AEST match is 1:30 PM in Adelaide and 12:00 PM in Perth. Quick rule: AEST is 14 hours ahead of US Eastern Time. So a 3:00 PM ET kick-off is 5:00 AM AEST the next day.
Typical AEST windows by venue region:
- US East Coast: about 2:00 AM to 8:00 AM AEST.
- US West Coast: about 5:00 AM to 12:00 PM AEST.
- Mexico: about 3:00 AM to 10:00 AM AEST.
These hours beat Qatar 2022, when group games ran from midnight to 6:00 AM AEST. The final kicks off at 5:00 AM AEST on Monday 20 July.
Socceroos Fixtures and AEST Kick-Off Times
Australia are in Group D with the USA, Paraguay, and Turkiye. All three group games are on the US West Coast.
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 14 Jun | 2:00 PM | Australia v Turkiye | Vancouver |
| Sat, 20 Jun | 5:00 AM | USA v Australia | Seattle |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 12:00 PM | Paraguay v Australia | San Francisco Bay Area |
Two of the three are daytime starts, which is ideal. The USA clash is the early one, so set a 5:00 AM alarm. Want the full lineup? See the World Cup 2026 squads.
Group Stage Schedule (AEST)
Below is every group game in AEST. The dates use Australian time, so some late North American games show on the next day here.
Group A
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 12 Jun | 5:00 AM | Mexico v South Africa | Mexico City |
| Fri, 12 Jun | 12:00 PM | South Korea v Czechia | Guadalajara |
| Fri, 19 Jun | 2:00 AM | Czechia v South Africa | Atlanta |
| Fri, 19 Jun | 11:00 AM | Mexico v South Korea | Guadalajara |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 11:00 AM | Czechia v Mexico | Mexico City |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 11:00 AM | South Africa v South Korea | Monterrey |
Group B
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 13 Jun | 5:00 AM | Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina | Toronto |
| Sun, 14 Jun | 5:00 AM | Qatar v Switzerland | San Francisco |
| Fri, 19 Jun | 5:00 AM | Switzerland v Bosnia and Herzegovina | Los Angeles |
| Fri, 19 Jun | 8:00 AM | Canada v Qatar | Vancouver |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 5:00 AM | Switzerland v Canada | Vancouver |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 5:00 AM | Bosnia and Herzegovina v Qatar | Seattle |
Group C
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 14 Jun | 8:00 AM | Brazil v Morocco | New York New Jersey |
| Sun, 14 Jun | 11:00 AM | Haiti v Scotland | Boston |
| Sat, 20 Jun | 8:00 AM | Scotland v Morocco | Boston |
| Sat, 20 Jun | 11:00 AM | Brazil v Haiti | Philadelphia |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 8:00 AM | Scotland v Brazil | Miami |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 8:00 AM | Morocco v Haiti | Atlanta |
Group D
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 13 Jun | 11:00 AM | USA v Paraguay | Los Angeles |
| Sun, 14 Jun | 2:00 PM | Australia v Turkiye | Vancouver |
| Sat, 20 Jun | 5:00 AM | USA v Australia | Seattle |
| Sat, 20 Jun | 2:00 PM | Turkiye v Paraguay | San Francisco |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 12:00 PM | Turkiye v USA | Los Angeles |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 12:00 PM | Paraguay v Australia | San Francisco |
Group E
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, 15 Jun | 3:00 AM | Germany v Curacao | Houston |
| Mon, 15 Jun | 9:00 AM | Ivory Coast v Ecuador | Philadelphia |
| Sun, 21 Jun | 6:00 AM | Germany v Ivory Coast | Toronto |
| Sun, 21 Jun | 10:00 AM | Ecuador v Curacao | Kansas City |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 6:00 AM | Ecuador v Germany | New York New Jersey |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 6:00 AM | Curacao v Ivory Coast | Philadelphia |
Group F
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, 15 Jun | 6:00 AM | Netherlands v Japan | Dallas |
| Mon, 15 Jun | 12:00 PM | Sweden v Tunisia | Monterrey |
| Sun, 21 Jun | 3:00 AM | Netherlands v Sweden | Houston |
| Sun, 21 Jun | 2:00 PM | Tunisia v Japan | Monterrey |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 9:00 AM | Japan v Sweden | Dallas |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 9:00 AM | Tunisia v Netherlands | Kansas City |
Group G
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 16 Jun | 5:00 AM | Belgium v Egypt | Seattle |
| Tue, 16 Jun | 11:00 AM | Iran v New Zealand | Los Angeles |
| Mon, 22 Jun | 5:00 AM | Belgium v Iran | Los Angeles |
| Mon, 22 Jun | 11:00 AM | New Zealand v Egypt | Vancouver |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 1:00 PM | Egypt v Iran | Seattle |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 1:00 PM | New Zealand v Belgium | Vancouver |
Group H
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 16 Jun | 2:00 AM | Spain v Cape Verde | Atlanta |
| Tue, 16 Jun | 8:00 AM | Saudi Arabia v Uruguay | Miami |
| Mon, 22 Jun | 2:00 AM | Spain v Saudi Arabia | Atlanta |
| Mon, 22 Jun | 8:00 AM | Uruguay v Cape Verde | Miami |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 10:00 AM | Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia | Houston |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 10:00 AM | Uruguay v Spain | Guadalajara |
Group I
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, 17 Jun | 5:00 AM | France v Senegal | New York New Jersey |
| Wed, 17 Jun | 8:00 AM | Iraq v Norway | Boston |
| Tue, 23 Jun | 7:00 AM | France v Iraq | Philadelphia |
| Tue, 23 Jun | 10:00 AM | Norway v Senegal | New York New Jersey |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 5:00 AM | Norway v France | Boston |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 5:00 AM | Senegal v Iraq | Toronto |
Group J
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, 17 Jun | 11:00 AM | Argentina v Algeria | Kansas City |
| Wed, 17 Jun | 2:00 PM | Austria v Jordan | San Francisco |
| Tue, 23 Jun | 3:00 AM | Argentina v Austria | Dallas |
| Tue, 23 Jun | 1:00 PM | Jordan v Algeria | San Francisco |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 12:00 PM | Algeria v Austria | Kansas City |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 12:00 PM | Jordan v Argentina | Dallas |
Group K
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, 18 Jun | 3:00 AM | Portugal v DR Congo | Houston |
| Thu, 18 Jun | 12:00 PM | Uzbekistan v Colombia | Mexico City |
| Wed, 24 Jun | 3:00 AM | Portugal v Uzbekistan | Houston |
| Wed, 24 Jun | 12:00 PM | Colombia v DR Congo | Guadalajara |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 9:30 AM | Colombia v Portugal | Miami |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 9:30 AM | DR Congo v Uzbekistan | Atlanta |
Group L
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, 18 Jun | 6:00 AM | England v Croatia | Dallas |
| Thu, 18 Jun | 9:00 AM | Ghana v Panama | Toronto |
| Wed, 24 Jun | 6:00 AM | England v Ghana | Boston |
| Wed, 24 Jun | 9:00 AM | Panama v Croatia | Toronto |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 7:00 AM | Panama v England | New York New Jersey |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 7:00 AM | Croatia v Ghana | Philadelphia |
Outside the eastern states: Perth (AWST), subtract 2 hours. Adelaide and Darwin (ACST), subtract 30 minutes.
Knockout Stage Schedule (AEST)
The knockout rounds decide the champion. The named teams fill in once the groups end. All times are AEST.
Round of 32 (29 June to 4 July)
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, 29 Jun | 5:00 AM | Runner-up A v Runner-up B | Los Angeles |
| Tue, 30 Jun | 3:00 AM | Winner C v Runner-up F | Houston |
| Tue, 30 Jun | 6:30 AM | Winner E v 3rd A/B/C/D/F | Boston |
| Tue, 30 Jun | 11:00 AM | Winner F v Runner-up C | Monterrey |
| Wed, 1 Jul | 3:00 AM | Runner-up E v Runner-up I | Dallas |
| Wed, 1 Jul | 7:00 AM | Winner I v 3rd C/D/F/G/H | New York New Jersey |
| Wed, 1 Jul | 11:00 AM | Winner A v 3rd C/E/F/H/I | Mexico City |
| Thu, 2 Jul | 2:00 AM | Winner L v 3rd E/H/I/J/K | Atlanta |
| Thu, 2 Jul | 6:00 AM | Winner G v 3rd A/E/H/I/J | Seattle |
| Thu, 2 Jul | 10:00 AM | Winner D v 3rd B/E/F/I/J | San Francisco |
| Fri, 3 Jul | 5:00 AM | Winner H v Runner-up J | Los Angeles |
| Fri, 3 Jul | 9:00 AM | Runner-up K v Runner-up L | Toronto |
| Fri, 3 Jul | 1:00 PM | Winner B v 3rd E/F/G/I/J | Vancouver |
| Sat, 4 Jul | 4:00 AM | Runner-up D v Runner-up G | Dallas |
| Sat, 4 Jul | 8:00 AM | Winner J v Runner-up H | Miami |
| Sat, 4 Jul | 11:30 AM | Winner K v 3rd D/E/I/J/L | Kansas City |
Round of 16 (5 July to 8 July)
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | City |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, 5 Jul | 3:00 AM | Houston |
| Sun, 5 Jul | 7:00 AM | Philadelphia |
| Mon, 6 Jul | 6:00 AM | New York New Jersey |
| Mon, 6 Jul | 10:00 AM | Mexico City |
| Tue, 7 Jul | 5:00 AM | Dallas |
| Tue, 7 Jul | 10:00 AM | Seattle |
| Wed, 8 Jul | 2:00 AM | Atlanta |
| Wed, 8 Jul | 6:00 AM | Vancouver |
Quarter-finals (10 July to 12 July)
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | City |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, 10 Jul | 6:00 AM | Boston |
| Sat, 11 Jul | 5:00 AM | Los Angeles |
| Sun, 12 Jul | 7:00 AM | Miami |
| Sun, 12 Jul | 11:00 AM | Kansas City |
Semi-finals, Third Place, and Final
| Date (AEST) | Kick-off (AEST) | Stage | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, 15 Jul | 5:00 AM | Semi-final 1 | Dallas |
| Thu, 16 Jul | 5:00 AM | Semi-final 2 | Atlanta |
| Sun, 19 Jul | 7:00 AM | Third-place play-off | Miami |
| Mon, 20 Jul | 5:00 AM | Final | New York New Jersey |
This is the first 48-team World Cup. The top two in every group advance, plus the eight best third-place teams. That gives 32 teams in the knockout bracket. Every knockout game is a single match. A third-place play-off takes place the day before the final.
FAQ About World Cup 2026 Schedule Australia
What channel is the World Cup 2026 on in Australia?
The World Cup 2026 is on SBS. You can watch on SBS, SBS VICELAND, and SBS On Demand. All three are free.
Is the World Cup 2026 free to watch in Australia?
Yes. All 104 matches are free on SBS. No subscription is needed. SBS holds the exclusive Australian rights.
When does the World Cup 2026 start in AEST?
The opener is at 5:00 AM AEST on Friday, 12 June. Mexico face South Africa in Mexico City. The first Socceroos game is at 2:00 PM AEST on Sunday 14 June.
Does Optus Sport have the World Cup 2026?
No. Optus Sport does not hold the 2026 World Cup. Optus had the 2022 rights, not 2026. SBS is the only broadcaster this time.
What time is the World Cup 2026 final in Australia?
The final kicks off at 5:00 AM AEST on Monday, 20 July. It is in New York, New Jersey, live and free on SBS.
Can I download the World Cup 2026 schedule as a PDF?
Yes. Use the free printable Australia schedule PDF on this page. It has every match, AEST kick-off time, and host city on a clean A4 sheet.
The World Cup 2026 schedule Australia guide gives you all 104 matches in AEST. It starts on 12 June and ends on 20 July. Download the free printable PDF, mark your matches, and back the Socceroos.
