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England has been allocated World Cup kickoff times that are convenient for viewers in the UK, whereas Scotland’s fixtures are scheduled for later finishes during next summer’s tournament. The English team will host all three of their group matches in the United States. Their first two games, against Croatia and Ghana, will kick off at 21:00 BST on 17 June and 23 June respectively. Their final group encounter with Panama is set for 22:00 BST on 27 June, taking place at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, the same venue that will host the final.
Scotland’s group matches will be played in Boston and Miami. Their opening game, a clash with Haiti on 14 June at Gillette Stadium in Boston, is scheduled for an early start at 02:00 BST. The following matches for Steve Clarke’s side, against Morocco in Massachusetts on 19 June and Brazil in Miami on 24 June, will begin later at 23:00 BST. England’s match in Dallas will be held indoors at AT&T Stadium under a closed roof due to anticipated high temperatures, with air conditioning in place for the game that starts at 15:00 local time.
Both England and Scotland will find some of their matches played on temporary natural grass, replacing the artificial turf typically used at the venues. England’s game in Boston is set for 16:00 local time, while Scotland’s two matches in Boston will kick off at 21:00 and 18:00 local time respectively. Miami, hosting Scotland’s final group fixture against Brazil at 18:00 local time, is noted for its extreme heat and humidity, which could present a challenge during the tournament. Should Wales or Northern Ireland advance through UEFA playoff matches in March, their group games would be held at 20:00 BST, with fixtures against Canada in Toronto on 12 June, Switzerland in Los Angeles on 18 June, and Qatar in Seattle on 24 June.
The confirmed match venues and kickoff times came a day after the group stage draw took place in Washington DC. The 48-team World Cup will unfold across Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. from 11 June to 19 July 2026, featuring 104 matches over 39 days. Mexico will kick off the expanded tournament with a game against South Africa at Mexico City’s historic Estadio Azteca, beginning at 20:00 BST on 11 June. The final is also scheduled to start at 20:00 BST on 19 July, with the semi-finals in Dallas and Atlanta sharing this kickoff time.
The full schedule will be finalized in March after Fifa and UEFA conclude their playoff rounds, which will determine the last six tournament spots. Matches will be spread across 16 cities in four different time zones, covering distances of up to 2,800 miles. Fifa was urged to limit afternoon kickoffs at several venues after research from Queen’s University Belfast indicated temperatures at 14 out of the 16 stadiums may reach dangerously high levels. The schedule was unveiled by Fifa president Gianni Infantino alongside notable football legends including Brazil’s Ronaldo, Italy’s Francesco Totti, Bulgaria’s Hristo Stoichkov, and former U.S. defender Alexi Lalas.
An analysis from BBC Sport’s football issues writer Dale Johnson highlights the demanding travel schedule England fans may face if their team advances to the final. Travelling the full route from Dallas to East Rutherford would mean covering 6,468.5 miles and nearly 19 hours in transit. Key legs include flights from Dallas to Foxborough, and the journey to and from Mexico City between knockout stages. If England finish second in their group, travel decreases slightly to 5,970.4 miles over around 18.5 hours. Fans of Portugal and Spain face longer distances, with Portugal’s itinerary totaling 6,781.9 miles and over 22 hours flying time, and Spain covering 6,667.2 miles, which will take roughly 18 hours and 15 minutes.
French supporters will benefit from the shortest travel distances, just 2,675 miles, achievable in 12.5 hours including two short train journeys between East Rutherford and Philadelphia. Mexico ranks second in terms of the least travel required, with their last 16 and possibly quarter-final matches held consecutively at the Estadio Azteca, totaling 3,199.7 miles and just over 10 hours of travel. Germany ranks third, with 4,141.5 miles and an estimated travel time of 15 and a half hours. For Scotland, if they defy odds by winning their group and reaching the final, fans would travel 6,083.3 miles over 18 hours. If Scotland advance as group runners-up, total travel slightly increases to 6,248 miles, taking just over 18 hours
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