The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup will stretch across the United States, Mexico and Canada, but fans will not need a ticket to follow every match. Broadcast and streaming options will cover the full 104-game tournament, including several free paths for viewers who want to watch without paying for a full subscription.
That matters because demand is expected to be intense, and Tim Ream said on CBS News that the event will feel like “a Super Bowl every single day for five weeks.” He also added, “It’s not an accident that 5 billion people will be watching.”
Where the games will air
FOX and NBCUniversal hold the broadcast rights for the tournament’s U.S., Canada and Mexico matches. In the United States, FOX will carry 78 games and NBCUniversal will handle 13 in Canada and 13 in Mexico.
FOX says a record 40 matches will air in primetime, which is more than a third of the tournament. For Spanish-language coverage, every match will air on Telemundo and Universo.
Free and paid viewing options
Viewers with a TV antenna or access to the FOX network channel through a smart TV can watch 70 matches for free. Ninety-two of the 104 matches can be watched for free in Spanish on Telemundo, while the remaining Spanish-language games will air on Universo.
For cord-cutters, the opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa, plus the United States’ opening match against Paraguay on June 12, will stream free on Tubi. CBS News notes that all matches will also stream through FOX One and the FOX Sports app, while Peacock has exclusive Spanish-language streaming rights.
Subscription streaming options include YouTube TV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV. These services will carry the matches for viewers who prefer bundled live-TV platforms.
U.S. team schedule
| Match | Time and Location |
|---|---|
| USA vs. Paraguay | 9 p.m. ET on Friday, June 12, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California |
| USA vs. Australia | 3 p.m. ET on Friday, June 19, at Lumen Seattle |
| USA vs. Turkey | 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 25, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood |
The U.S. team will play three group-stage matches in Group D, against Paraguay, Australia and Turkey in that order. Its opener against Paraguay is one of the tournament’s free streaming games on Tubi.
What the opening stretch looks like
The tournament begins on June 11, when co-host Mexico meets South Africa in Mexico City. South Korea also faces Czechia in Guadalajara that day, while the United States opens on June 12 in Inglewood and Canada begins in Toronto.
The group stage runs through June 27, with matches spread across cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The schedule includes primetime matchups on FOX and many Spanish-language broadcasts across Telemundo and Universo.
Knockout-stage dates to know
The Round of 32 starts on June 28, followed by additional knockout games on June 29, June 30, July 1, July 2 and July 3. The Round of 16 runs from July 4 through July 7, with quarterfinals on July 9, July 10 and July 11.
The semifinals are set for July 14 in Dallas and July 15 in Atlanta. The third-place match is scheduled for July 18 in Miami, and the World Cup final will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Fans can also follow highlights and tournament updates throughout the event on CBSSports.com as the field narrows toward the final in New Jersey.
