The biggest football tournament on earth is in full swing — and today might be its most exciting day yet.
Wednesday, June 17 marks the seventh day of action at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with four massive fixtures across Groups K and L bringing some of the tournament’s biggest names onto the pitch for the very first time.
Cristiano Ronaldo begins what could be his final World Cup. England face Croatia in a rematch packed with history. Ghana and Panama collide in Toronto. And Colombia take on Uzbekistan in Mexico City.
If you’re watching from Nepal, Bangladesh, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia or Malaysia — this guide has everything you need. Today’s fixtures, kick-off times in your timezone, the full group standings, all previous results, and what’s coming up in the days ahead.
Table of Contents
- FIFA World Cup 2026 Today: June 17 Fixtures
- Kick-Off Times for Asian & Middle East Fans
- Today’s Key Match Previews
- All Results So Far: June 11–16
- Full Group Stage Standings (Updated)
- FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule: Upcoming Fixtures
- The 2026 FIFA World Cup: Key Facts
- How to Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 Live
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. FIFA World Cup 2026 Today: June 17 Fixtures
Four matches are scheduled for today across two groups. Here’s everything at a glance:
Wednesday, June 17 marks the seventh day of action at the men’s football World Cup 2026, with big opening games for England, Portugal, Croatia and Colombia. The day’s highlight will see England face Croatia in Group L in Dallas. The other Group L match is in Toronto where Ghana will take on Panama. Cristiano Ronaldo returns to the tournament with Portugal facing Congo DR in their Group K fixture in Houston, while Uzbekistan play Colombia at the Mexico City Stadium in the same group.
| Match | Group | Venue | Kick-Off (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇵🇹 Portugal vs DR Congo | K | NRG Stadium, Houston | 1:00 PM ET |
| 🏴 England vs Croatia | L | AT&T Stadium, Dallas | 4:00 PM ET |
| 🇬🇭 Ghana vs Panama | L | BMO Field, Toronto | 7:00 PM ET |
| 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan vs Colombia | K | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City | 10:00 PM ET |
2. Today’s Kick-Off Times: Your Local Timezone 🕐
We know fans across Asia and the Middle East stay up late — or wake up early — for World Cup football. Here are all four of today’s matches in your local time:
| Match | Nepal (NPT) | Bangladesh (BDT) | UAE/Qatar (GST/AST) | Kuwait/Saudi (AST) | Malaysia (MYT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal vs DR Congo | 11:45 PM | 11:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 1:00 AM (+1) |
| England vs Croatia | 2:45 AM (+1) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 12:00 AM (+1) | 11:00 PM | 4:00 AM (+1) |
| Ghana vs Panama | 5:45 AM (+1) | 5:00 AM (+1) | 3:00 AM (+1) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) |
| Uzbekistan vs Colombia | 8:45 AM (+1) | 8:00 AM (+1) | 6:00 AM (+1) | 5:00 AM (+1) | 10:00 AM (+1) |
⚠️ All times are approximate. Check your local broadcaster for exact schedules. (+1) indicates the following day.
3. Today’s Key Match Previews
🇵🇹 Portugal vs DR Congo — Group K | Houston
Portugal begins the World Cup as the co-No. 3 favourite with England, behind France and Spain at +700. Much of the attention is focused on 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo as he begins what could be his final World Cup.
Ronaldo — the tournament’s all-time top scorer — arrives with one final chance to claim the one trophy that has eluded him throughout an astonishing career. Portugal are expected to progress comfortably from Group K, which also contains Uzbekistan and Colombia.
DR Congo qualified for just their second ever World Cup and will rely on disciplined defending and counter-attacking pace to cause an upset.
Group K consists of Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia — and none of these matchups have happened previously at a World Cup, meaning every single game will be a first meeting between the sides.
🏴 England vs Croatia — Group L | Dallas
England, led by Harry Kane, remains one of the strongest teams in the field, while Croatia once again leans on veterans Luka Modrić, Ivan Perišić and Mateo Kovačić as it looks to make another deep run.
This fixture carries enormous weight. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Croatia knocked England out in the semi-finals — one of the most painful nights in English football history. England reached the final at Euro 2020 before losing to Italy, and the 2022 World Cup ended in the quarter-finals. Under Thomas Tuchel, England enter 2026 as genuine contenders.
For Middle East and Asian fans, England vs Croatia is the standout match to stay up for tonight.
🇬🇭 Ghana vs Panama — Group L | Toronto
Ghana arrive at the 2026 World Cup in deeply unusual circumstances. As covered in our earlier report on the Thomas Partey case, their captain and most experienced midfielder has been denied entry to Canada and will miss today’s match against Panama.
Panama are appearing in only their second ever World Cup. Ghana, despite the Partey situation, remain significant favourites.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan vs Colombia — Group K | Mexico City
Colombia are among the most dangerous teams in CONMEBOL and enter as heavy favourites against Uzbekistan, who are making their World Cup debut. The game kicks off at Estadio Azteca — one of the most iconic football stadiums in the world.
4. All Results So Far: June 11–16
The tournament has already delivered drama, goals and surprises. Here are every result from the first six days:
From Scotland’s win to upsets such as the draw between Spain and Cape Verde, here are all of the results from the 2026 World Cup so far:
📅 Thursday, June 11
Mexico 2–0 South Africa (Group A) | South Korea 2–1 Czechia (Group A)
📅 Friday, June 12
Canada 1–1 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B)
📅 Saturday, June 13
- USA vs Paraguay — Group D
- Austria vs Jordan — Group J (result pending at time of publication)
📅 Sunday, June 14
Germany 7–1 Curaçao (Group E)
📅 Monday, June 15
Spain 0–0 Cape Verde (Group H) | Saudi Arabia 1–1 Uruguay (Group H)
📅 Tuesday, June 16
France 3–1 Senegal (Group I) | Norway 4–1 Iraq (Group I) | Argentina 3–0 Algeria (Group J)
Group Stage Summary So Far
- Biggest win: Germany 7–1 Curaçao
- Biggest upset: Spain held 0–0 by Cape Verde
- Star performers: France’s Kylian Mbappé, Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Norway’s Erling Haaland
- Today: Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane and Luka Modrić all make their 2026 debuts
Only three games have seen one goal or fewer so far — making the 2026 FIFA World Cup one of the most entertaining in recent memory.
5. Full Group Stage Standings (Updated June 17)
Group A
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| Mexico | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| Czechia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| South Africa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
Group B
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Qatar | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Switzerland | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
Group E
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +6 | 3 |
| Ivory Coast | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ecuador | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Curaçao | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -6 | 0 |
Group H (Qatar fans — Saudi Arabia are here)
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Saudi Arabia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Cape Verde | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia fans: The Saudi team drew 1–1 with Uruguay in their opening match and next play Spain on June 21.
Group I
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| Norway | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| Senegal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| Iraq | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 0 |
Group J
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| Austria | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Algeria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 0 |
| Jordan | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Groups K and L — Opening today (June 17)
Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
🔄 Standings tables for Groups K and L will update after today’s matches. Check back later or visit FIFA.com for live updates.
6. FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule: Upcoming Key Fixtures
🗓️ Thursday, June 18
Czechia vs South Africa (Atlanta) | Switzerland vs Bosnia-Herzegovina (Inglewood) | Canada vs Qatar (Vancouver) | Mexico vs South Korea (Zapopan)
🇶🇦 Qatar fans: Canada vs Qatar kicks off June 18 in Vancouver at 6pm ET (2:00 AM Doha time, June 19).
🗓️ Friday, June 19
USA vs Australia (Seattle) | Scotland vs Morocco (Foxborough) | Brazil vs Haiti (Philadelphia) | Türkiye vs Paraguay (Santa Clara)
🗓️ Saturday, June 20
Netherlands vs Sweden (Houston) | Germany vs Ivory Coast (Toronto) | Ecuador vs Curaçao (Kansas City) | Tunisia vs Japan (Guadalupe, Mexico)
🗓️ Sunday, June 21
- Spain vs Saudi Arabia (Group H) — A huge match for Middle East fans
- Belgium vs Iran (Group G)
🗓️ Tuesday, June 23
Portugal vs Uzbekistan (Houston) | England vs Ghana (Foxborough) | Panama vs Croatia (Toronto) | Colombia vs DR Congo (Zapopan)
7. The 2026 FIFA World Cup: Key Facts
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is an international men’s football tournament organised by FIFA, taking place in North America. Matches are being held in 16 cities across the United States, Mexico and Canada. The 2026 FIFA World Cup began on June 11 and will end on July 19 after a total of 104 matches — 72 in the group stage and 32 in the knockout stage. It is the first time that three countries have jointly hosted a World Cup and only the second time that more than one country has done so.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup features a record 48 national teams competing for the title — an expanded format from the previous 32-team tournaments. The initial stage consists of 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the knockout stage round of 32.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Tournament | 23rd FIFA World Cup |
| Dates | June 11 – July 19, 2026 |
| Host Countries | 🇺🇸 USA • 🇨🇦 Canada • 🇲🇽 Mexico |
| Teams | 48 (record) |
| Total Matches | 104 |
| Stadiums | 16 across 16 cities |
| Groups | 12 groups of 4 teams |
| Final Venue | MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey |
| Defending Champion | 🇦🇷 Argentina (2022) |
| Most Titles | 🇧🇷 Brazil (5) |
The 16 Host Cities
Eleven cities are in the United States: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle. The United States will host all games from the Quarter-Finals onwards. Three cities are in Mexico and two in Canada.
The 48 Teams by Confederation
The 48 competing nations include: nine teams from Asia (AFC) — Australia, Iraq, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan; ten from Africa (CAF) — Algeria, Cape Verde, Congo DR, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia; and sixteen from Europe (UEFA) — Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czechia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Türkiye.
8. How to Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 Live
By Country
| Country | Broadcaster | Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| Nepal | APF TV, Image TV | Daraz Live, APF app |
| Bangladesh | Gazi TV, T Sports | T Sports App, Toffee |
| UAE | beIN Sports Arabia | beIN Sports Connect |
| Qatar | beIN Sports | beIN Sports Connect |
| Kuwait | beIN Sports Arabia | beIN Sports Connect |
| Saudi Arabia | beIN Sports Arabia, Saudi TV | beIN Sports Connect |
| Malaysia | RTM (TV1/TV2), Astro | Astro Go, RTM app |
⚠️ Streaming availability varies. All 104 tournament matches air live across FOX and FS1 in the United States, with every match streaming live on the FOX Sports app and FOX One. For fans in other regions, check official FIFA partner broadcasters in your country at FIFA.com/en/tournaments.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What FIFA World Cup matches are on today, June 17, 2026? Four matches are scheduled for June 17: Portugal vs DR Congo (1pm ET, Houston), England vs Croatia (4pm ET, Dallas), Ghana vs Panama (7pm ET, Toronto), and Uzbekistan vs Colombia (10pm ET, Mexico City). All are Group Stage games from Groups K and L.
Q2: What time is England vs Croatia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? England vs Croatia kicks off at 4:00 PM ET on June 17 at AT&T Stadium, Dallas. For fans in the Middle East and Asia, that is midnight UAE/Qatar time, 11pm Saudi/Kuwait time, 1am Bangladesh time, 1:45am Nepal time, and 4am Malaysia time (all on June 18).
Q3: What time is Portugal vs DR Congo and will Cristiano Ronaldo play? Portugal vs DR Congo kicks off at 1:00 PM ET in Houston on June 17. Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to lead Portugal in what could be his final World Cup. In local times: 9pm UAE/Qatar, 8pm Saudi Arabia/Kuwait, 11pm Bangladesh, 11:45pm Nepal, 1am Malaysia.
Q4: What is Qatar’s World Cup 2026 schedule? Qatar are in Group B alongside Canada, Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Qatar play Canada in Vancouver on June 18, then Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 22, and Switzerland on June 24. Qatar qualified automatically as a host nation and are the reigning Asian champions (AFC).
Q5: When does Saudi Arabia play at the 2026 World Cup? Saudi Arabia drew 1–1 with Uruguay in their Group H opener on June 15. They next face Spain on June 21, followed by Cape Verde on June 26. Group H also includes Uruguay and Cape Verde.
Q6: What are the FIFA World Cup 2026 group standings today? As of June 17, South Korea and Mexico lead Group A with 3 points each. Germany leads Group E after a 7–1 win. France and Norway both have 3 points in Group I. Argentina lead Group J with 3 points. Groups K and L begin today. For fully live standings, visit FIFA.com or CBS Sports.
Q7: How many teams are in the 2026 FIFA World Cup? The 2026 FIFA World Cup features 48 teams — a record, expanded from the previous 32-team format. Teams are divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two plus eight best third-placed teams advancing to the round of 32 knockout stage.
Q8: When is the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final? The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final will take place on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA.
Q9: Who is the defending FIFA World Cup champion? Argentina are the defending FIFA World Cup champions, having won the 2022 tournament in Qatar in a dramatic final against France — with Lionel Messi scoring twice and converting a penalty in the shootout.
Q10: Where can I watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 live in Nepal, Bangladesh or Malaysia? In Nepal, the World Cup is broadcast on Image TV and APF TV, with streaming on the Daraz Live platform. In Bangladesh, matches air on Gazi TV and T Sports, with streaming on the Toffee app. In Malaysia, RTM (TV1 and TV2) and Astro hold broadcast rights, with streaming on Astro Go. Middle East fans can watch on beIN Sports and beIN Sports Connect.
Conclusion: Day 7 at the 2026 World Cup — The Drama Is Only Starting
Seven days in. Sixty-nine to go. But today might be the most exciting day of the entire group stage.
Cristiano Ronaldo. Harry Kane. Luka Modrić. All making their 2026 World Cup debuts on the same day. History is being written in Houston, Dallas, Toronto and Mexico City as you read this.
Only three games have seen one goal or fewer so far — making the 2026 FIFA World Cup one of the most entertaining in recent memory. With the expanded 48-team format delivering more matches, more upsets and more stories than any World Cup before it, the next five weeks promise to be extraordinary.
Bookmark this page. We’ll continue updating coverage throughout the tournament — results, standings, knockout stage previews and more.
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