World Cup 2026 kicks off with 104 games free to air across BBC and ITV

The 2026 FIFA World Cup — the largest in the tournament’s history — is under way across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with all 104 group-stage and knockout matches available free to air for UK viewers.

England begin their campaign in Group L against Croatia on Wednesday 18 June at 9pm BST, while Scotland face Haiti in Group C on Sunday 14 June at 2am BST.

Kick-off times vary considerably due to the time difference, with the most viewer-friendly slots falling at 6pm, 8pm and 9pm BST. A number of matches, however, are scheduled through the night for UK audiences, with some kicking off as early as 2am or 3am BST.

The tournament opens on Thursday 12 June with Mexico hosting South Africa in Group A at 8pm BST. Other early highlights include Brazil vs Morocco on Saturday 14 June at 11pm BST, France vs Senegal on Tuesday 17 June at 8pm BST, and Argentina vs Algeria on Wednesday 18 June at 2am BST.

Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Belgium are also in action in the opening round of group fixtures, with the full schedule spread across the five-week competition.

With every game on free-to-air television, UK viewers have access to the complete tournament for the first time since the expanded 48-team format was introduced — a significant shift from previous cycles where only selected matches were broadcast without a subscription.