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Messi vs Ronaldo quarterfinal on cards as FIFA unveil World Cup 2026 schedule
If both Argentina and Portugal top their groups and win their last-32 and last-16 fixtures, a quarterfinal meeting between Messi and Ronaldo could await.
The official schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was released on Saturday, featuring 48 nations competing across North America, and reigning champions Argentina and Portugal could be on a collision course in the quarterfinals. It opens up the possibility of a blockbuster showdown between modern-era greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in what may be their final World Cup appearance.
Messi, who will turn 39 during next summer's tournament, has yet to confirm whether he will appear in his sixth World Cup. Argentina have been drawn in Group J alongside Algeria, Austria and Jordan. The 2026 edition, to be held from June 11 to July 19 across Mexico, the United States and Canada, is expected to be Cristiano Ronaldo's final opportunity to chase World Cup glory at the age of 40. Portugal find themselves in Group K with the winner of Play-Off Tournament 1 (DR Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia), Uzbekistan and Colombia.
If both Argentina and Portugal top their groups and win their last-32 and last-16 fixtures, a quarterfinal meeting between Messi and Ronaldo could await.
The FIFA World Cup schedule was announced a day after the draw ceremony at Washington, D.C., where U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney - representing the three co-hosts of the expanded tournament - were present alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The schedule, along with the venues and kickoff times, is now official for all 42 playing nations, although the entire fixture will be finalised when the remaining six participants are determined through UEFA and inter-confederation playoffs being held in March.
The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-place finishers, will progress to the round of 32.
The finale is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The World Cup tournament will be held across 16 cities in North America, including Toronto and Vancouver in Canada, as well as Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara in Mexico. In the United States, host cities include Atlanta, Boston (Foxborough), Dallas (Arlington), Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles (Inglewood), Miami (Miami Gardens), New York/New Jersey (East Rutherford), Philadelphia, San Francisco (Santa Clara) and Seattle.
Mexico will kick off the tournament on June 11 against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City - a rematch of the 1-1 tie at the 2010 opener in Johannesburg.
Argentina, who lost their 2022 Qatar World Cup opener to Saudi Arabia before going on to win the final over France on penalty kicks, will start their campaign against Algeria on June 17. They will then face Austria and Jordan in Dallas. France, winners in 2018 and runners-up in 2022. start June 16 against Senegal at East Rutherford, New Jersey, or Foxborough, Massachusetts, on June 16.
European champions Spain will play their first two Group H fixtures, against debutants Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, in the covered and air-conditioned Atlanta stadium. They will then head to Mexico to take on Uruguay in Guadalajara. England, 1966 champions, will open their bid against Croatia in the covered Dallas stadium on June 17, before shifting to the northeastern United States for their remaining Group L fixtures.
Brazil, who won the last World Cup in America in 1994, will meet Morocco at the MetLife Stadium in their first Group C encounter on June 13.
Mexico v South Africa June 11 at 1900 GMT in Mexico City
South Korea v European Playoff D June 12 at 0200 GMT in Guadalajara
European Playoff D v South Africa June 18 at 1600 GMT in Atlanta
Mexico v South Korea June 19 at 0100 GMT in Guadalajara
European Playoff D v Mexico June 25 at 0100 GMT in Mexico City
South Africa v South Korea June 25 at 0100 GMT in Monterrey
Canada v European Playoff A June 12 at 1900 GMT in Toronto
Qatar v Switzerland June 13 at 1900 GMT in San Francisco
Switzerland v European Playoff A June 18 at 1900 GMT in Los Angeles
Canada v Qatar June 18 at 2200 GMT in Vancouver
Switzerland v Canada June 24 at 1900 GMT in Vancouver
European Playoff A v Qatar June 24 at 1900 GMT in Seattle
Brazil v Morocco June 13 at 2200 GMT in New York, New Jersey
Haiti v Scotland June 14 at 0100 GMT in Boston
Scotland v Morocco June 19 at 2200 GMT in Boston
Brazil v Haiti June 20 at 0100 GMT in Philadelphia
Scotland v Brazil June 24 at 2200 GMT in Miami
Morocco v Haiti June 24 at 2200 GMT in Atlanta
United States v Paraguay June 13 at 0100 in Los Angeles
Australia v European Playoff C June 13 at 0400 GMT in Vancouver
European Playoff C v Paraguay June 19 at 0400 GMT in San Francisco
United States v Australia June 19 at 1900 GMT in Seattle
European Playoff C v United States June 26 at 0200 GMT in Los Angeles
Paraguay v Australia June 26 at 0200 GMT in San Francisco
Germany v Curacao June 14 at 1900 GMT in Houston
Ivory Coast v Ecuador June 14 at 2300 GMT in Philadelphia
Germany v Ivory Coast June 20 at 2000 GMT in Toronto
Ecuador v Curacao June 21 at 0000 GMT in Kansas City
Ecuador v Germany June 25 at 2000 GMT in New York, New Jersey
Curacao v Ivory Coast June 25 at 2000 GMT in New York, New Jersey
Netherlands v Japan June 14 at 2000 GMT in Dallas
European Playoff B v Tunisia June 15 0200 GMT in Monterrey
Netherlands v European Playoff B June 20 at 1700 GMT in Houston
Tunisia v Japan June 21 at 0400 GMT in Monterrey
Japan v European Playoff B June 25 at 2300 GMT in Dallas
Tunisia v Netherlands June 25 at 2300 GMT in Kansas City
Belgium v Egypt June 15 at 1900 GMT in Seattle
Iran v New Zealand June 16 at 0100 GMT in Los Angeles
Belgium v Iran June 21 at 1900 GMT in Los Angeles
New Zealand v Egypt June 22 at 0100 GMT in Vancouver
Egypt v Iran June 27 at 0300 GMT in Seattle
New Zealand v Belgium June 27 at 0300 in Vancouver
Spain v Cape Verde June 15 at 1600 GMT in Atlanta
Saudi Arabia v Uruguay June 15 at 2200 GMT in Miami
Spain v Saudi Arabia June 21 at 1600 GMT in Atlanta
Uruguay v Cape Verde June 21 at 2200 GMT in Miami
Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia June 27 at 0000 GMT in Houston
Uruguay v Spain June 27 at 0000 GMT in Guadalajara
France v Senegal June 16 at 1900 GMT in New York, New Jersey
FIFA Playoff 2 v Norway June 16 at 2200 GMT in Boston
France v FIFA Playoff 2 June 22 at 0200 GMT in Philadelphia
Norway v Senegal June 23 at 0000 GMT in New York, New Jersey
Norway v France June 26 at 1900 GMT in Boston
Senegal v FIFA Playoff 2 June 26 at 1900 GMT in Toronto
Argentina v Algeria June 17 at 0100 GMT in Kansas City
Austria v Jordan June 17 at 0400 GMT in San Francisco
Argentina v Austria June 22 at 1700 GMT in Dalllas
Jordan v Algeria June 23 at 0300 GMT in San Francisco
Algeria v Austria June 28 at 0200 GMT in Kansas City
Jordan v Argentina June 28 at 0200 in Dallas
Portugal v FIFA Playoff 1 June 17 at 1700 GMT in Houston
Uzbekistan v Colombia June 18 at 0200 GMT in Mexico City
Portugal v Uzbekistan June 23 at 1700 GMT in Houston
Colombia v FIFA Playoff 1 June 24 at 0200 GMT in Guadalajara
Colombia v Portugal June 27 at 2330 GMT in Miami
FIFA Playoff 1 v Uzbekistan June 27 at 2330 GMT in Atlanta
England v Croatia June 17 at 2000 GMT in Dallas
Ghana v Panama June 17 at 2300 GMT in Toronto
England v Ghana June 23 at 2000 GMT in Boston
Panama v Croatia June 23 at 2300 GMT in Toronto
Panama v England June 27 at 2100 GMT in New York, New Jersey
Croatia v Ghana June 27 at 2100 GMT in Philadelphia
At HT Sports Desk, passionate reporters work round the clock to provide detailed updates from the world of sports. Expect nuanced match reports, previews,reviews, technical analysis based on statistics, the latest social media trends, expert opinions on cricket, football, tennis, badminton, hockey,motorsports, wrestling, boxing, shooting, athletics and much more. Read Less ...Read More
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