The groupings and match-ups for next year’s FIFA World Cup™, one of the most anticipated sporting events globally, have been announced in Washington, D.C.
Held before a live audience of nearly 2,000 international guests at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and broadcast to a global audience, the twelve groups, each comprising four teams, for the 23rd edition of the tournament have been officially determined.
Hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States— the only teams that had already confirmed their match venues—have recently received their opponent and kick-off time details within the past 24 hours. The Mexican national team will commence their participation in the inaugural 48-team FIFA World Cup against South Africa at Mexico City Stadium on Thursday, June 11, at 13:00 local time (21:00 CET). This match is anticipated to be highly energetic and culturally significant, as it echoes the opening game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Coaches Javier Aguirre of Mexico and Hugo Broos of South Africa (a former Belgian international) will meet again on the world stage, recalling their previous encounter at the 1986 FIFA World Cup held at the same venue.
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The following day, Canada will host the winner of the European play-off between Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto at 15:00 local time (21:00 CET). Meanwhile, the United States will kick off their home campaign in Los Angeles with their first official match against Paraguay at 18:00 local time (03:00 CET, and 22:00 in Asunción). This event is expected to generate enthusiasm across the continent, uniting fans from coast to coast.
Among the notable group-stage fixtures, the European match in Group L between England and Croatia—revisiting their 2018 semi-final encounter—will be held at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday, June 17, at 3:00 PM local time (10:00 PM CET). The venue, featuring a retractable roof and climate control, will provide comfortable conditions for both teams and spectators, while allowing fans across Europe to view the match live. Similarly, for Match 10, legendary Dutch coach Dick Advocaat will lead Curaçao—the smallest nation to compete in a FIFA World Cup—during its debut against four-time champions Germany at Houston Stadium on Sunday, June 14, at 12:00 PM local time (7:00 PM CET, 1:00 PM in Willemstad).
Another high-profile match will feature Brazil and Morocco competing on Saturday, June 13, at New York New Jersey Stadium at 6:00 PM local time (00:00 CET, 7:00 PM in Brasília, and 11:00 PM in Rabat). This game is expected to engage the entire tri-state region. Additionally, Monterrey will make history on Saturday, June 20, when it hosts the 1,000th FIFA World Cup match, featuring Tunisia versus Japan— a rematch from the 2022 FIFA World Cup™, when Japan advanced to the knockout stage for the first time. The match will begin at 10:00 PM local time (06:00 CET, 5:00 AM in Tunis, and 1:00 PM in Tokyo).
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