The World Cup 2026 schedule Japan guide lists all 104 matches in Japan time. The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026. Every kick-off below is shown in JST.
Bottom line: 48 teams, 16 cities, 104 matches. Japan are back in the tournament, drawn in Group F. The opener is 4:00 AM JST on Friday 12 June, and the final is 4:00 AM JST on Monday 20 July.
A quick word on the clock. Japan Standard Time (JST) is UTC+9 and does not use daylight saving, so it stays the same all tournament. Japan is 13 hours ahead of US Eastern Time, where the games are played. Times can shift, so confirm on official sources before kick-off.
Last updated: 5 June 2026.
Download Your Free Printable World Cup 2026 Schedule (JST)
Want the whole tournament on one sheet? Grab the free printable JST schedule below.
- All 72 group stage matches, sorted by group, with Japan highlighted.
- The full knockout path, from the Round of 32 to the final.
- Dates, JST kick-off times, and host cities for every game.
- A clean navy and gold design built to print at home on A4.
Download the Japan Schedule PDF (JST)
When Does Japan Play? Samurai Blue Fixtures (JST)
Japan are in Group F with the Netherlands, Sweden, and Tunisia. Here are their group games in JST:
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, 15 Jun | 5:00 AM | Netherlands v Japan | Dallas |
| Sun, 21 Jun | 1:00 PM | Tunisia v Japan | Monterrey |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 8:00 AM | Japan v Sweden | Dallas |
Two of the three land in watchable morning or afternoon slots in Japan, with the Tunisia game a friendly 1:00 PM start.
What Time Do World Cup 2026 Matches Kick Off in JST?
All matches are played in North America, so in Japan they fall in the late night to early afternoon. Japan is 13 hours ahead of US Eastern Time. So a 3:00 PM ET kick-off is 4:00 AM JST the next day.
Typical JST windows by venue region:
- US East Coast: about 1:00 AM to 11:00 AM JST (next day).
- US West Coast: about 4:00 AM to 1:00 PM JST (next day).
- Mexico: about 2:00 AM to 10:00 AM JST (next day).
Expect early starts, with the more watchable games landing in the mid-morning to midday range. The opener is 4:00 AM JST on Friday 12 June. The final is 4:00 AM JST on Monday 20 July.
How to Watch World Cup 2026 in Japan
Coverage in Japan is shared across free-to-air TV and streaming, after Dentsu acquired the rights and sublicensed them.
- NHK (free): shows all of Japan’s matches live, plus the opening match and the final, on terrestrial and satellite channels. You can also stream NHK’s coverage free on the NHK+ app.
- Nippon TV and Fuji TV (free): carry selected matches on free-to-air television.
- ABEMA (free streaming): provides free live streaming, and is the easy mobile option.
- DAZN Japan (subscription): streams all 104 matches for comprehensive coverage.
One extra free option works on broadcaster channels: under FIFA’s YouTube partnership, participating broadcasters can stream the first 10 minutes of every match live and free on their official YouTube channels.
World Cup Group Stage Schedule in Japan Standard Time
Every group game in JST. Japan’s matches are in Group F. Late North American kick-offs show on the next day in Japan.
Group A
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 12 Jun | 4:00 AM | Mexico v South Africa | Mexico City |
| Fri, 12 Jun | 11:00 AM | South Korea v Czechia | Guadalajara |
| Fri, 19 Jun | 1:00 AM | Czechia v South Africa | Atlanta |
| Fri, 19 Jun | 10:00 AM | Mexico v South Korea | Guadalajara |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 10:00 AM | Czechia v Mexico | Mexico City |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 10:00 AM | South Africa v South Korea | Monterrey |
Group B
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 13 Jun | 4:00 AM | Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina | Toronto |
| Sun, 14 Jun | 4:00 AM | Qatar v Switzerland | San Francisco |
| Fri, 19 Jun | 4:00 AM | Switzerland v Bosnia and Herzegovina | Los Angeles |
| Fri, 19 Jun | 7:00 AM | Canada v Qatar | Vancouver |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 4:00 AM | Switzerland v Canada | Vancouver |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 4:00 AM | Bosnia and Herzegovina v Qatar | Seattle |
Group C
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 14 Jun | 7:00 AM | Brazil v Morocco | New York New Jersey |
| Sun, 14 Jun | 10:00 AM | Haiti v Scotland | Boston |
| Sat, 20 Jun | 7:00 AM | Scotland v Morocco | Boston |
| Sat, 20 Jun | 10:00 AM | Brazil v Haiti | Philadelphia |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 7:00 AM | Scotland v Brazil | Miami |
| Thu, 25 Jun | 7:00 AM | Morocco v Haiti | Atlanta |
Group D
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 13 Jun | 10:00 AM | USA v Paraguay | Los Angeles |
| Sun, 14 Jun | 1:00 PM | Australia v Turkiye | Vancouver |
| Sat, 20 Jun | 4:00 AM | USA v Australia | Seattle |
| Sat, 20 Jun | 1:00 PM | Turkiye v Paraguay | San Francisco |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 11:00 AM | Turkiye v USA | Los Angeles |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 11:00 AM | Paraguay v Australia | San Francisco |
Group E
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, 15 Jun | 2:00 AM | Germany v Curacao | Houston |
| Mon, 15 Jun | 8:00 AM | Ivory Coast v Ecuador | Philadelphia |
| Sun, 21 Jun | 5:00 AM | Germany v Ivory Coast | Toronto |
| Sun, 21 Jun | 9:00 AM | Ecuador v Curacao | Kansas City |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 5:00 AM | Ecuador v Germany | New York New Jersey |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 5:00 AM | Curacao v Ivory Coast | Philadelphia |
Group F
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, 15 Jun | 5:00 AM | Netherlands v Japan | Dallas |
| Mon, 15 Jun | 11:00 AM | Sweden v Tunisia | Monterrey |
| Sun, 21 Jun | 2:00 AM | Netherlands v Sweden | Houston |
| Sun, 21 Jun | 1:00 PM | Tunisia v Japan | Monterrey |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 8:00 AM | Japan v Sweden | Dallas |
| Fri, 26 Jun | 8:00 AM | Tunisia v Netherlands | Kansas City |
Group G
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 16 Jun | 4:00 AM | Belgium v Egypt | Seattle |
| Tue, 16 Jun | 10:00 AM | Iran v New Zealand | Los Angeles |
| Mon, 22 Jun | 4:00 AM | Belgium v Iran | Los Angeles |
| Mon, 22 Jun | 10:00 AM | New Zealand v Egypt | Vancouver |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 12:00 PM | Egypt v Iran | Seattle |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 12:00 PM | New Zealand v Belgium | Vancouver |
Group H
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 16 Jun | 1:00 AM | Spain v Cape Verde | Atlanta |
| Tue, 16 Jun | 7:00 AM | Saudi Arabia v Uruguay | Miami |
| Mon, 22 Jun | 1:00 AM | Spain v Saudi Arabia | Atlanta |
| Mon, 22 Jun | 7:00 AM | Uruguay v Cape Verde | Miami |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 9:00 AM | Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia | Houston |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 9:00 AM | Uruguay v Spain | Guadalajara |
Group I
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, 17 Jun | 4:00 AM | France v Senegal | New York New Jersey |
| Wed, 17 Jun | 7:00 AM | Iraq v Norway | Boston |
| Tue, 23 Jun | 6:00 AM | France v Iraq | Philadelphia |
| Tue, 23 Jun | 9:00 AM | Norway v Senegal | New York New Jersey |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 4:00 AM | Norway v France | Boston |
| Sat, 27 Jun | 4:00 AM | Senegal v Iraq | Toronto |
Group J
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, 17 Jun | 10:00 AM | Argentina v Algeria | Kansas City |
| Wed, 17 Jun | 1:00 PM | Austria v Jordan | San Francisco |
| Tue, 23 Jun | 2:00 AM | Argentina v Austria | Dallas |
| Tue, 23 Jun | 12:00 PM | Jordan v Algeria | San Francisco |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 11:00 AM | Algeria v Austria | Kansas City |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 11:00 AM | Jordan v Argentina | Dallas |
Group K
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, 18 Jun | 2:00 AM | Portugal v DR Congo | Houston |
| Thu, 18 Jun | 11:00 AM | Uzbekistan v Colombia | Mexico City |
| Wed, 24 Jun | 2:00 AM | Portugal v Uzbekistan | Houston |
| Wed, 24 Jun | 11:00 AM | Colombia v DR Congo | Guadalajara |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 8:30 AM | Colombia v Portugal | Miami |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 8:30 AM | DR Congo v Uzbekistan | Atlanta |
Group L
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, 18 Jun | 5:00 AM | England v Croatia | Dallas |
| Thu, 18 Jun | 8:00 AM | Ghana v Panama | Toronto |
| Wed, 24 Jun | 5:00 AM | England v Ghana | Boston |
| Wed, 24 Jun | 8:00 AM | Panama v Croatia | Toronto |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 6:00 AM | Panama v England | New York New Jersey |
| Sun, 28 Jun | 6:00 AM | Croatia v Ghana | Philadelphia |
World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage Schedule (JST)
The knockout rounds decide the champion. The named teams fill in once the groups end. All times are JST.
Round of 32 (29 June to 4 July)
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, 29 Jun | 4:00 AM | Runner-up A v Runner-up B | Los Angeles |
| Tue, 30 Jun | 2:00 AM | Winner C v Runner-up F | Houston |
| Tue, 30 Jun | 5:30 AM | Winner E v 3rd A/B/C/D/F | Boston |
| Tue, 30 Jun | 10:00 AM | Winner F v Runner-up C | Monterrey |
| Wed, 1 Jul | 2:00 AM | Runner-up E v Runner-up I | Dallas |
| Wed, 1 Jul | 6:00 AM | Winner I v 3rd C/D/F/G/H | New York New Jersey |
| Wed, 1 Jul | 10:00 AM | Winner A v 3rd C/E/F/H/I | Mexico City |
| Thu, 2 Jul | 1:00 AM | Winner L v 3rd E/H/I/J/K | Atlanta |
| Thu, 2 Jul | 5:00 AM | Winner G v 3rd A/E/H/I/J | Seattle |
| Thu, 2 Jul | 9:00 AM | Winner D v 3rd B/E/F/I/J | San Francisco |
| Fri, 3 Jul | 4:00 AM | Winner H v Runner-up J | Los Angeles |
| Fri, 3 Jul | 8:00 AM | Runner-up K v Runner-up L | Toronto |
| Fri, 3 Jul | 12:00 PM | Winner B v 3rd E/F/G/I/J | Vancouver |
| Sat, 4 Jul | 3:00 AM | Runner-up D v Runner-up G | Dallas |
| Sat, 4 Jul | 7:00 AM | Winner J v Runner-up H | Miami |
| Sat, 4 Jul | 10:30 AM | Winner K v 3rd D/E/I/J/L | Kansas City |
Round of 16 (5 July to 8 July)
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | City |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, 5 Jul | 2:00 AM | Houston |
| Sun, 5 Jul | 6:00 AM | Philadelphia |
| Mon, 6 Jul | 5:00 AM | New York New Jersey |
| Mon, 6 Jul | 9:00 AM | Mexico City |
| Tue, 7 Jul | 4:00 AM | Dallas |
| Tue, 7 Jul | 9:00 AM | Seattle |
| Wed, 8 Jul | 1:00 AM | Atlanta |
| Wed, 8 Jul | 5:00 AM | Vancouver |
Quarter-finals (10 July to 12 July)
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | City |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, 10 Jul | 5:00 AM | Boston |
| Sat, 11 Jul | 4:00 AM | Los Angeles |
| Sun, 12 Jul | 6:00 AM | Miami |
| Sun, 12 Jul | 10:00 AM | Kansas City |
Semi-finals, Third Place, and Final
| Date (JST) | Kick-off (JST) | Stage | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, 15 Jul | 4:00 AM | Semi-final 1 | Dallas |
| Thu, 16 Jul | 4:00 AM | Semi-final 2 | Atlanta |
| Sun, 19 Jul | 6:00 AM | Third-place play-off | Miami |
| Mon, 20 Jul | 4:00 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 Japan
What time does the World Cup 2026 start in Japan?
The opener kicks off at 4:00 AM JST on Friday, 12 June. Mexico face South Africa in Mexico City.
When does Japan play at the World Cup 2026?
Japan play three Group F games: the Netherlands on 15 June (5:00 AM JST), Tunisia on 21 June (1:00 PM JST), and Sweden on 26 June (8:00 AM JST).
What time is the World Cup 2026 final in Japan?
The final kicks off at 4:00 AM JST on Monday, 20 July, in New York, New Jersey.
Can I download the World Cup 2026 schedule as a PDF?
Yes. Use the free printable JST schedule PDF on this page. It lists every match, JST kick-off time, and host city, with Japan highlighted.
The World Cup 2026 schedule Japan guide gives you all 104 matches in JST. It starts on 12 June in Japan and ends with the final on 20 July. Download the free printable PDF and set your alarms for the Samurai Blue.
