Time zones at a glance
The 2026 World Cup is here — 104 matches, 48 teams, three host countries. The only question you care about before kick-off: when does it start for me?
North America is six to nine hours behind Central Europe depending on venue. Some matches run in the evening — perfect for the couch or a group watch. Others start in the middle of the night. And then there's the kind that requires a 6 AM alarm.
Matches are played in 16 stadiums across the US, Canada and Mexico — four time zones:
- Eastern Time (EDT, UTC−4): New York/NJ, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta, Toronto — CEST −6 hours
- Central Time (CDT, UTC−5): Dallas, Houston, Kansas City — CEST −7 hours
- Mexico (UTC−6, no DST): Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara — CEST −8 hours
- Pacific Time (PDT, UTC−7): LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver — CEST −9 hours
Earliest kick-off in CEST: 18:00 (noon Eastern). Latest: 06:00 in the morning (evening kick-offs on the West Coast or Mexico).
Opening match
Thursday June 11, 2026 — 21:00 CEST. Mexico vs South Africa, Estadio Azteca Mexico City.
Austria: coffee at four
- Wednesday June 17 — 06:00 CEST ⏰ — Austria vs Jordan (San Francisco)
- Monday June 22 — 19:00 CEST 🇦🇹 — Austria vs Argentina (Dallas) — the civilised slot
- Saturday June 27 — 04:00 CEST ⏰ — Austria vs Algeria (Kansas City)
The Argentina match on Monday at 19:00 is the only fan-night-friendly slot. The other two need caffeine.
Knockout phase
- Round of 32: June 28 – July 1
- Round of 16: July 4–7
- Quarter-finals: July 9–12
- Semi-finals: July 14–15 (both 21:00 CEST)
- Third-place: July 18
- Final: Sunday July 19, 2026 — 21:00 CEST — MetLife Stadium, New York/NJ
How many hours behind is the World Cup 2026?
Between 6 and 9 hours depending on the venue. New York is 6 hours behind Central Europe (CEST), LA and Vancouver 9, Mexico City 8.
When is the first World Cup 2026 match in Austrian/German time?
The opening match Mexico – South Africa kicks off on June 11 at 21:00 CEST.
When is the 2026 World Cup final in European time?
The final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium kicks off at 21:00 CEST.
When does Austria play at the 2026 World Cup?
June 17 (06:00 CEST), June 22 (19:00 CEST), June 27 (04:00 CEST).
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