The 2026 FIFA World Cup is down to four teams and four matches, which means the scheduling problem for fans has mercifully shrunk to something a human can read without a spreadsheet. France play Spain on Tuesday, July 14, at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff is set for 3 pm ET.
The second semifinal follows on Wednesday, July 15, when England face Argentina at Atlanta Stadium, also at 3 pm ET. The two losing teams will meet in the third-place playoff at Miami Stadium in Miami, Florida, on Saturday, July 18, at 5 pm ET. The final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at 3 pm ET at New York/New Jersey Stadium.
The tournament, hosted across Mexico, Canada, and the United States, has no host nation left in contention. After 100 matches, the remaining field is France, Spain, England, and Argentina.
FIFA went into the event saying it expected the 2026 World Cup to be the most watched in the organization’s history. Earlier this month, as the tournament reached the quarterfinals, FIFA said more than 6.2 million people had attended matches in person, with additional audiences following through broadcasts, digital platforms, and fan events.
How to watch in the US
In the United States, viewers with cable or satellite packages can watch the remaining matches on Fox Sports. The games are also available through FoxOne, which is listed at $20 per month.
FIFA has named YouTube its preferred streaming partner for the tournament. Access through YouTube TV requires its sports plan, listed at $55 per month. Other paid streaming options include Fubo at $46 per month and Hulu’s live sports option at $90 per month.
Peacock is streaming the matches in Spanish through its partnership with Telemundo. FIFA also maintains a list of official broadcasters for viewers outside the US, which is the better place to check than trusting whatever pirate link is currently being passed around in a group chat.
FIFA’s official schedule can display match times in a viewer’s local time zone.
The final gets a halftime show
The July 19 final is also scheduled to include the first Super Bowl-style halftime show in World Cup history. Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Gustavo Dudamel are listed as performers. Since the match starts at 3 pm ET, the halftime segment would likely arrive around the middle of the broadcast.
A bigger tournament reaches the end
The 2026 edition is the first men’s World Cup with 48 teams, up from the 32-team format used in previous tournaments. FIFA organized the initial field into groups labeled A through L for the first stage.
Teams then advanced through a Round of 32, a Round of 16, and the quarterfinals. That expanded bracket is now almost spent. France, Spain, England, and Argentina are the only teams left with a path to the trophy.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
