24 hours after fhe 2026 FIFA World Cup draw took place, the official match schedule was announced with World Cup winners Brazil, France and more coming to Philadelphia for Group Stage matches.
The City of Brotherly Love was selected to host six (6) total matches for FIFA World Cup 26™, including a Round of 16 match on July 4, 2026, when Philadelphia will be the epicenter of 250th Anniversary Celebration of the United States.
The games kicks off on June 14 with a Group E opener featuring Ivory Coast and Ecuador. The matches continue five days later on June 19 when Philadelphia Union midfielder Danley Jean Jacques and Haiti take on Brazil in Group C action.
June 22nd sees the third group stage showdown taking place at Lincoln Financial Field as France will take on the winner of the FIFA Playoff 1 featuring Suriname, Bolivia and Iraq in Group I action. The intensity grows with a June 25th battle between Curacao and Ivory Coast as part of the final matches of Group E. The group stage wraps up in Philadelphia on June 27th with Croatia and Ghana from Group L.
What are the final groups?
Below is how the groups were drawn.
Group A
- Mexico
- South Africa
- Korea Republic
- Europe Playoff D
Group B
- Canada
- Europe Playoff A
- Qatar
- Switzerland
Group C
- Brazil
- Morocco
- Haiti
- Scotland
Group D
- United States
- Paraguay
- Australia
- Europe Playoff C
Group E
- Germany
- Curacao
- Ivory Coast
- Ecuador
Group F
- Netherlands
- Japan
- Europe Playoff B
- Tunisia
Group G
- Belgium
- Egypt
- IR Iran
- New Zealand
Group H
- Spain
- Cape Verde
- Saudi Arabia
- Uruguay
Group I
- France
- Senegal
- FIFA Play-Off 1
- Norway
Group J
- Argentina
- Algeria
- Austria
- Jordan
Group K
- Portugal
- FIFA Play-Off 1
- Uzbekistan
- Colombia
Group L
- England
- Croatia
- Ghana
- Panama
Who else can qualify?
Six (6) spots remain undecided.
European pathway
From March 26-31, 16 UEFA nations will participate in the European playoffs – 12 group runners-up during qualifying and the four highest-ranked remaining UEFA Nations League section winners.
Each path's top team qualifies.
Path A
- Italy vs. Northern Ireland
- Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Final: Italy/Northern Ireland vs. Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina
Path B
- Ukraine vs. Sweden
- Poland vs. Albania
Final: Ukraine/Sweden vs. Poland/Albania
Path C
- Türkiye vs. Romania
- Slovakia vs. Kosovo
Final: Türkiye/Romania vs. Slovakia/Kosovo
Path D
- Denmark vs. North Macedonia
- Czechia vs. Republic of Ireland
Final: Czechia/Republic of Ireland vs. Denmark/North Macedonia
Inter-confederation playoffs
The final two (2) teams will also be decided from March 26-31, in Mexico, via playoff paths. They are as follows:
Pathway 1
- Semifinal: New Caledonia vs. Jamaica
- Final: New Caledonia/Jamaica vs. Congo DR
Pathway 2
- Semifinal: Bolivia vs. Suriname
- Final: Bolivia/Suriname vs. Iraq
