The 2026 FIFA World Cup opens June 11 with Mexico facing South Africa at 3 p.m. ET, and USA Soccer begins its campaign the next day against Paraguay at 9 p.m. ET, both matches available to stream for free on Tubi.
The tournament spans 16 host cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States and runs from June 11 through the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Broadcasters have committed to showing every one of the 104 tournament matches live on FOX and FS1, and each match will stream live and on demand on the FOX One and FOX Sports apps.
For fans planning viewing or travel, the immediate dates to mark are June 11 — the official opening with Mexico v South Africa at 3 p.m. ET — and June 12, when the United States plays Paraguay at 9 p.m. ET. Both opening fixtures will be free to stream on Tubi, while the rest of the tournament will be covered across the FOX platforms and their streaming services.
The continental spread is notable: play will take place in three countries, across 16 cities, a schedule designed to move 104 matches across a wide geography in 39 days. That scale matters for broadcasters and viewers as much as for local organizers; the consolidated rights mean a single television and streaming plan will carry the entire event across the continent.
At the same time, live coverage leading into the tournament has flagged a practical concern: mapping 16 host cities and a full slate of fixtures does not guarantee sold-out stadiums. Observers have pointed to the risk of empty seats at some matches, creating a disconnect between the tournament’s broad broadcast reach and the realities of matchday attendance in individual venues.
Broadcasters will not face that ambiguity — FOX and FS1 will carry all 104 matches and the FOX One and FOX Sports apps will stream every game — but organizers and local hosts will get an early test when the opening matches play in June. The single most consequential unanswered question now is straightforward: how many matches, if any, will be affected by attendance shortfalls once the tournament begins on June 11 and the USA’s opener follows on June 12?
