Pakistan fans, the opening match kicks off at 12:00 AM PKT on Friday, June 12. The World Cup Final is at 12:00 AM PKT on Monday, July 20. That is 39 days, 104 matches, 48 teams, and 16 stadiums across the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
This is the complete 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule converted to Pakistan Standard Time (PKT, UTC+5). Most matches fall between midnight and 6:00 AM PKT, so expect heavy late-night viewing throughout the tournament.
Around 8 matches land in the 9:00 PM to 11:59 PM window, the friendliest slots on the Pakistani schedule. Roughly 20 matches kick off between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM, manageable for early risers. The remaining 44 group stage games fall between midnight and 6:00 AM PKT, deep in the night.
Key Kickoff Times at a Glance:
Event
Date (PKT)
Day
Time (PKT)
Venue
Opening Match (Mexico vs South Africa)
Jun 12
Fri
12:00 AM
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Brazil vs Morocco
Jun 14
Sun
3:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, NJ
Argentina vs Algeria
Jun 17
Wed
6:00 AM
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
England vs Croatia
Jun 18
Thu
1:00 AM
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
France vs Senegal
Jun 17
Wed
12:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, NJ
World Cup Final
Jul 20
Mon
12:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, NJ
What is Pakistan Standard Time (PKT)?
Pakistan Standard Time is UTC+5. That puts Pakistan 9 hours ahead of US Eastern Daylight Time, which is the base timezone for all World Cup kickoffs. Pakistan does not observe daylight saving time, so PKT stays fixed at UTC+5 year-round. No clock changes to worry about during the tournament.
Major cities on PKT include Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Peshawar. The entire country runs on a single timezone. Neighbouring Afghanistan is UTC+4:30, and India is UTC+5:30, so Pakistan sits right between them. For comparison, a 3:00 PM ET kickoff lands at 12:00 AM PKT the following morning.
World Cup 2026 Daily Match Times in PKT
Time Window (PKT)
Typical Schedule
Best For
9:00 PM – 11:59 PM
12:00 PM ET kickoffs
Prime-time viewing before midnight
12:00 AM – 2:59 AM
3:00 PM ET kickoffs
Night owls, late-shift workers
3:00 AM – 5:59 AM
6:00 PM ET kickoffs
Die-hard fans willing to stay up
6:00 AM – 8:59 AM
9:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET kickoffs
Early risers, Fajr watchers
In the knockout rounds, most matches follow the same ET slots and convert to the same PKT windows. The Round of 32, Round of 16, and quarterfinals all feature 12:00 AM to 6:00 AM PKT starts for the main prime-time US slots.
Best Matches at Manageable PKT Times:
#
Match
Date (PKT)
Day
Kickoff (PKT)
14
Spain vs Cape Verde
Jun 15
Mon
9:00 PM
25
Czechia vs South Africa
Jun 18
Thu
9:00 PM
35
Netherlands vs Sweden
Jun 20
Sat
10:00 PM
38
Spain vs Saudi Arabia
Jun 21
Sun
9:00 PM
43
Argentina vs Austria
Jun 22
Mon
10:00 PM
47
Portugal vs Uzbekistan
Jun 23
Tue
10:00 PM
95
Round of 16
Jul 7
Tue
9:00 PM
104
World Cup Final
Jul 20
Mon
12:00 AM
World Cup 2026 Group Stage Schedule in PKT
The group stage runs from June 12 to June 28 in PKT, covering 72 matches across 48 teams in 12 groups (A through L). The top two from each group advance, plus the 8 best third-placed teams, giving 32 teams a spot in the Round of 32. On the final group matchday, simultaneous kickoffs within each group ensure fair play. All times below are Pakistan Standard Time.
Friday, June 12 PKT (Opening Day)
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
1
A
Mexico vs South Africa
12:00 AM
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
2
A
South Korea vs Czechia
7:00 AM
Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
Match 1 is a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opening match, when Mexico and South Africa drew 1-1 at Soccer City in Johannesburg. Tshabalala scored for the hosts, Marquez equalized for Mexico. Sixteen years later, the same two nations meet again.
Saturday, June 13 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
3
B
Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina
12:00 AM
BMO Field, Toronto
4
D
USA vs Paraguay
6:00 AM
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Sunday, June 14 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
8
B
Qatar vs Switzerland
12:00 AM
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
7
C
Brazil vs Morocco
3:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, NJ
5
C
Haiti vs Scotland
6:00 AM
Gillette Stadium, Boston
Brazil and Morocco met in the 2022 World Cup Round of 16. This is a marquee group stage match given Morocco’s surprise semifinal run that year.
Sunday, June 14 PKT (continued)
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
6
D
Australia vs Turkiye
9:00 AM
BC Place, Vancouver
10
E
Germany vs Curacao
10:00 PM
NRG Stadium, Houston
Monday, June 15 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
11
F
Netherlands vs Japan
1:00 AM
AT&T Stadium, Dallas
9
E
Ivory Coast vs Ecuador
4:00 AM
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
12
F
Sweden vs Tunisia
7:00 AM
Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
14
H
Spain vs Cape Verde
9:00 PM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Tuesday, June 16 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
16
G
Belgium vs Egypt
12:00 AM
Lumen Field, Seattle
13
H
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay
3:00 AM
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
15
G
Iran vs New Zealand
6:00 AM
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Wednesday, June 17 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
17
I
France vs Senegal
12:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, NJ
18
I
Iraq vs Norway
3:00 AM
Gillette Stadium, Boston
19
J
Argentina vs Algeria
6:00 AM
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
20
J
Austria vs Jordan
9:00 AM
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
Argentina, the defending champions, open their tournament on June 16 ET (June 17 PKT). Match 18 features Iraq’s first World Cup appearance since 1986, ending a 40-year absence.
Thursday, June 18 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
23
K
Portugal vs DR Congo
10:00 PM
NRG Stadium, Houston
22
L
England vs Croatia
1:00 AM
AT&T Stadium, Dallas
21
L
Ghana vs Panama
4:00 AM
BMO Field, Toronto
24
K
Uzbekistan vs Colombia
7:00 AM
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Match 22 is a rematch of the 2018 World Cup semifinal, when Croatia beat England 2-1 after extra time.
Friday, June 19 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
25
A
Czechia vs South Africa
9:00 PM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
26
B
Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina
12:00 AM
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Saturday, June 20 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
27
B
Canada vs Qatar
3:00 AM
BC Place, Vancouver
28
A
Mexico vs South Korea
6:00 AM
Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
32
D
USA vs Australia
12:00 AM
Lumen Field, Seattle
30
C
Scotland vs Morocco
3:00 AM
Gillette Stadium, Boston
29
C
Brazil vs Haiti
5:30 AM
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
31
D
Turkiye vs Paraguay
8:00 AM
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
Saturday, June 20 PKT (continued) / Sunday, June 21 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
35
F
Netherlands vs Sweden
10:00 PM (Sat Jun 20)
NRG Stadium, Houston
33
E
Germany vs Ivory Coast
1:00 AM (Sun Jun 21)
BMO Field, Toronto
34
E
Ecuador vs Curacao
5:00 AM (Sun Jun 21)
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Sunday, June 21 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
36
F
Tunisia vs Japan
9:00 AM
Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
38
H
Spain vs Saudi Arabia
9:00 PM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Match 36 is the 1,000th match in World Cup history (964 prior matches plus 36 from this tournament). It kicks off in Monterrey at the Estadio BBVA.
Monday, June 22 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
39
G
Belgium vs Iran
12:00 AM
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
37
H
Uruguay vs Cape Verde
3:00 AM
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
40
G
New Zealand vs Egypt
6:00 AM
BC Place, Vancouver
43
J
Argentina vs Austria
10:00 PM
AT&T Stadium, Dallas
Tuesday, June 23 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
42
I
France vs Iraq
2:00 AM
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
41
I
Norway vs Senegal
5:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, NJ
44
J
Jordan vs Algeria
8:00 AM
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
47
K
Portugal vs Uzbekistan
10:00 PM
NRG Stadium, Houston
Wednesday, June 24 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
45
L
England vs Ghana
1:00 AM
Gillette Stadium, Boston
46
L
Panama vs Croatia
4:00 AM
BMO Field, Toronto
48
K
Colombia vs DR Congo
7:00 AM
Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
Thursday, June 25 PKT
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
51
B
Switzerland vs Canada
12:00 AM
BC Place, Vancouver
52
B
Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar
12:00 AM
Lumen Field, Seattle
49
C
Scotland vs Brazil
3:00 AM
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
50
C
Morocco vs Haiti
3:00 AM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
53
A
Czechia vs Mexico
6:00 AM
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
54
A
South Africa vs South Korea
6:00 AM
Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
Friday, June 26 PKT (Final Group Matchday – Groups E, F)
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
55
E
Curacao vs Ivory Coast
1:00 AM
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
56
E
Ecuador vs Germany
1:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, NJ
57
F
Japan vs Sweden
4:00 AM
AT&T Stadium, Dallas
58
F
Tunisia vs Netherlands
4:00 AM
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
59
D
Turkiye vs USA
7:00 AM
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
60
D
Paraguay vs Australia
7:00 AM
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
Saturday, June 27 PKT (Final Group Matchday – Groups I, H)
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
61
I
Norway vs France
12:00 AM
Gillette Stadium, Boston
62
I
Senegal vs Iraq
12:00 AM
BMO Field, Toronto
65
H
Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia
5:00 AM
NRG Stadium, Houston
66
H
Uruguay vs Spain
5:00 AM
Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
63
G
Egypt vs Iran
8:00 AM
Lumen Field, Seattle
64
G
New Zealand vs Belgium
8:00 AM
BC Place, Vancouver
Sunday, June 28 PKT (Final Group Matchday – Groups J, K, L)
#
Group
Match
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
67
L
Panama vs England
2:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, NJ
68
L
Croatia vs Ghana
2:00 AM
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
71
K
Colombia vs Portugal
4:30 AM
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
72
K
DR Congo vs Uzbekistan
4:30 AM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
69
J
Algeria vs Austria
7:00 AM
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
70
J
Jordan vs Argentina
7:00 AM
AT&T Stadium, Dallas
World Cup 2026 Round of 32 Schedule (PKT)
This stage is brand new. It never existed at any previous World Cup. One defeat and your tournament is over.
#
Date (PKT)
Day
Matchup
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
73
Jun 29
Mon
Runner-up A vs Runner-up B
12:00 AM
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
76
Jun 29
Mon
Winner C vs Runner-up F
10:00 PM
NRG Stadium, Houston
74
Jun 30
Tue
Winner E vs Best 3rd (A/B/C/D/F)
1:30 AM
Gillette Stadium, Boston
75
Jun 30
Tue
Winner F vs Runner-up C
6:00 AM
Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
78
Jun 30
Tue
Runner-up E vs Runner-up I
10:00 PM
AT&T Stadium, Dallas
77
Jul 1
Wed
Winner I vs Best 3rd (C/D/F/G/H)
2:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, NJ
79
Jul 1
Wed
Winner A vs Best 3rd (C/E/F/H/I)
6:00 AM
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
80
Jul 1
Wed
Winner L vs Best 3rd (E/H/I/J/K)
9:00 PM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
82
Jul 2
Thu
Winner G vs Best 3rd (A/E/H/I/J)
1:00 AM
Lumen Field, Seattle
81
Jul 2
Thu
Winner D vs Best 3rd (B/E/F/I/J)
5:00 AM
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
84
Jul 3
Fri
Winner H vs Runner-up J
12:00 AM
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
83
Jul 3
Fri
Runner-up K vs Runner-up L
4:00 AM
BMO Field, Toronto
85
Jul 3
Fri
Winner B vs Best 3rd (E/F/G/I/J)
8:00 AM
BC Place, Vancouver
88
Jul 3
Fri
Runner-up D vs Runner-up G
11:00 PM
AT&T Stadium, Dallas
86
Jul 4
Sat
Winner J vs Runner-up H
3:00 AM
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
87
Jul 4
Sat
Winner K vs Best 3rd (D/E/I/J/L)
6:30 AM
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
World Cup 2026 Round of 16 Schedule (PKT)
The last 16. Win or go home. Find the World Cup 2026 Final guide for details on the ultimate prize at MetLife Stadium.
#
Date (PKT)
Day
Matchup
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
90
Jul 4
Sat
Winner Match 73 vs Winner Match 75
10:00 PM
NRG Stadium, Houston
89
Jul 5
Sun
Winner Match 74 vs Winner Match 77
2:00 AM
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
91
Jul 6
Mon
Winner Match 76 vs Winner Match 78
1:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, NJ
92
Jul 6
Mon
Winner Match 79 vs Winner Match 80
5:00 AM
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
93
Jul 7
Tue
Winner Match 83 vs Winner Match 84
12:00 AM
AT&T Stadium, Dallas
94
Jul 7
Tue
Winner Match 81 vs Winner Match 82
5:00 AM
Lumen Field, Seattle
95
Jul 7
Tue
Winner Match 86 vs Winner Match 88
9:00 PM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
96
Jul 8
Wed
Winner Match 85 vs Winner Match 87
1:00 AM
BC Place, Vancouver
World Cup 2026 Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Final (PKT)
Quarterfinals
#
Date (PKT)
Day
Matchup
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
97
Jul 10
Fri
Winner Match 89 vs Winner Match 90
1:00 AM
Gillette Stadium, Boston
98
Jul 11
Sat
Winner Match 93 vs Winner Match 94
12:00 AM
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
99
Jul 12
Sun
Winner Match 91 vs Winner Match 92
2:00 AM
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
100
Jul 12
Sun
Winner Match 95 vs Winner Match 96
6:00 AM
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Semifinals
#
Date (PKT)
Day
Matchup
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
101
Jul 15
Wed
Winner Match 97 vs Winner Match 98
12:00 AM
AT&T Stadium, Dallas
102
Jul 16
Thu
Winner Match 99 vs Winner Match 100
12:00 AM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Third-Place Match
#
Date (PKT)
Day
Matchup
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
103
Jul 19
Sun
Loser Match 101 vs Loser Match 102
2:00 AM
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
World Cup Final
#
Date (PKT)
Day
Matchup
Kickoff (PKT)
Venue
Capacity
104
Jul 20
Mon
Winner Match 101 vs Winner Match 102
12:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, NJ
78,576
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey hosts the Final with a FIFA tournament capacity of 78,576. The regular NFL capacity of 82,500 is reduced due to FIFA’s wider field requirement. The 2026 Final will also feature the first-ever live halftime show at a World Cup Final, with up to 25 minutes of entertainment. For more, read the World Cup 2026 halftime show guide.
How to Watch the World Cup 2026 in Pakistan
Official broadcasting details for Pakistan will be confirmed closer to the tournament. As of April 2026, FIFA’s media rights tender for the Indian subcontinent remains open. No deal has been signed for Pakistan yet. Check the FIFA official media rights list for the latest updates.
In the meantime, FIFA+ (fifa.com/fifaplus) offers free highlights and selected content globally. Pakistan fans should monitor local sports channels and FIFA’s official announcements as June 2026 approaches.
What Pakistan Football Fans Need to Know
How many matches can fans watch before midnight in PKT?
Roughly 10 matches across the tournament kick off between 9:00 PM and 11:59 PM PKT. These are the 12:00 PM ET slots. Spain vs Cape Verde, Czechia vs South Africa, Spain vs Saudi Arabia, Argentina vs Austria, and Portugal vs Uzbekistan are among the best evening options. Most of the 104 matches fall after midnight.
Can Pakistan fans attend the World Cup in person?
Yes. The tournament is hosted across the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Pakistani passport holders travelling to the USA need an ESTA or visa depending on eligibility. Tickets are sold through FIFA’s official ticketing portal at fifa.com. Book accommodation early in host cities like New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Miami.
What is the best way to follow matches if I cannot watch live?
FIFA+ provides free match highlights after every game at fifa.com/fifaplus. Once a broadcaster is confirmed for Pakistan, they will likely offer on-demand replays. Setting score alerts on your phone through a sports app is the quickest way to follow results without staying up.
How many teams are making their World Cup debut in 2026?
Four nations appear at a World Cup for the first time: Cape Verde (Group H), Curacao (Group E), Jordan (Group J), and Uzbekistan (Group K). Pakistan is not among them, but Uzbekistan’s presence gives Central and South Asian fans a regional team to follow.
What happens if a knockout match is tied after 90 minutes?
The match goes to 30 minutes of extra time, split into two halves of 15. If still level, it goes to a penalty shootout. A knockout match can run around 150 minutes total, so plan your viewing window accordingly.
Does Pakistan observe daylight saving time during the World Cup?
No. Pakistan does not observe DST. PKT stays fixed at UTC+5 throughout the year, including during the June-July tournament period. The 9-hour gap from US Eastern Time is constant for all 104 matches.
Is there a time difference between the World Cup venues?
Yes. The 16 host stadiums span four North American time zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific. All times on this page have already been converted to PKT, so you do not need to worry about individual venue times.
