I want to take time off work for the best games but cannot find clear dates anywhere. Does anyone know when the tournament starts and when the knockout rounds are?



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No problem. The 2026 world cup schedule has the opening match on June 11th. Group stage runs until June 26th. Round of 32 starts June 28th. Quarterfinals are July 7th and 8th. Semifinals on July 11th and 12th. The final is July 19th. With 48 teams and 104 matches, there are games almost every day. I recommend taking off for the knockout rounds starting June 28th &ndash; those are the most exciting. Also check local time zones because matches are across USA, Canada, and Mexico. Hope that helps you plan