2026 World Cup Calendar: All Important Dates You Need to Know
The 2026 World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026 — 39 days with 104 matches. This article provides a complete calendar of all important dates from the opening match to the final, helping you not miss any key timeline nodes.
I. 2026 World Cup Complete Calendar｜Monthly View
June 2026
| Date | Day | Phase | Matches | Odds Focus | June 11 | Thu | Opening match | 1 | Volatility peak ±9.7% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 11-27｜Group stage (17 days, 72 matches) | ||||
| June 25 | Wed | Final group round | 8/day | Simultaneous, live betting +50% |
| June 26 | Thu | |||
| June 27 | Fri | |||
| June 28-July 3｜Round of 32 (6 days, 16 matches) | ||||
July 2026
| Date | Day | Phase | Matches | Odds Focus | July 4-7｜Round of 16 (4 days, 8 matches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 9-11｜Quarter-finals (3 days, 4 matches) | ||||
| July 14-15｜Semi-finals (2 days, 2 matches) | ||||
| July 18 | Sat | Third-place | 1 | Slight increase ±2.2% | July 19 | Sun | Final | 1 | Lowest ±0.9% |
II. Phase-by-Phase Important Dates Summary｜Quick Reference
| Phase | Date Range | Days | Matches | Avg/Day | Opening match | June 11 | 1 | 1 | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group stage | June 11-27 | 17 | 72 | 4.2 |
| Round of 32 | June 28-July 3 | 6 | 16 | 2.7 | Round of 16 | July 4-7 | 4 | 8 | 2.0 |
| Quarter-finals | July 9-11 | 3 | 4 | 1.3 |
| Semi-finals | July 14-15 | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Third-place | July 18 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Final | July 19 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
III. Key Date Volatility Peaks｜Data Markers
- 🔥 June 11 (Opening match): ±9.7% peak volatility — highest of the year
- 🔥 June 25-27 (Final group round): Simultaneous kickoffs, live betting volume peak
- 🔥 June 28 (Round of 32 starts): Knockout begins, highest odds sensitivity
- 🔥 July 9 (Quarter-finals start): Strong vs strong, draw odds value increases
- 🔥 July 19 (Final): Title odds fully priced
IV. 2026 World Cup Important Dates Timeline｜Visualized
- 📅 June 11 ━━━ Opening match (Mexico City)
- 📅 June 11-27 ━━━ Group stage (72 matches)
- 📅 June 28-July 3 ━━━ Round of 32 (16 matches)
- 📅 July 4-7 ━━━ Round of 16 (8 matches)
- 📅 July 9-11 ━━━ Quarter-finals (4 matches)
- 📅 July 14-15 ━━━ Semi-finals (2 matches)
- 📅 July 18 ━━━ Third-place play-off
- 📅 July 19 ━━━ Final (New York)
V. FAQs (Model & Probability)
What are the most important dates of the 2026 World Cup?
Opening match (June 11), final group round (June 25-27), Round of 32 start (June 28), and final (July 19).How many matches per day during group stage?
4-6 matches per day in first two rounds, 8 simultaneous matches per day in final round.Which knockout day is most worth watching for betting?
June 28 (Round of 32 start) — highest volatility, ideal for observing market flows.How many days is the 2026 World Cup?
39 days (June 11 to July 19).🔔 Bookmark this calendar for all important 2026 World Cup dates.