With so many games to be played across 12 World Cup groups before we even get to the knockouts, we’ve picked out 10 that you should be sure to stay awake for.
For anyone other than the most committed football fan, the days of watching every single game at the World Cup are long gone.
The expansion of the tournament to 48 teams means 72 group-stage games will be played just to narrow the competition down to 32 sides, which is precisely the number of teams there had been in total at every World Cup since 1998.
That means that just to get to the size of a tournament we’re used to watching, 108 hours of group-stage football will be played, plus, presumably, a lot of added-on time and plenty of minutes spent watching players take lengthy, pre-arranged drinks breaks.
Another factor to consider is that for much of the world, many of the games are scheduled for rather unsociable hours. It’s going to be difficult to watch every game you want to.
So, with that in mind, we’ve picked out a rather more manageable number of group games that you should be sure to set your alarm for. They aren’t the only games you’ll need to watch, but taking these in as a minimum might just set you up for an enjoyable group stage.
Here, in chronological order, are 10 games to make sure you watch during the 2026 World Cup group stage.
Note: Kick-off times are BST
Mexico vs South Africa
11 June, 8pm
A repeat of the opening game of the 2010 World Cup, Mexico and South Africa get the tournament underway at Estadio Azteca, an epic stadium in Mexico City that is steeped in history. It hosted the World Cup final in both 1970, which was won by Pelé’s Brazil, and 1986, which was won by Diego Maradona’s Argentina, as well as England’s quarter-final defeat in the latter tournament at the hands (and feet) of Maradona.
The 2010 meeting between the teams is remembered most for Siphiwe Tshabalala’s extraordinary “goal for all Africa” that opened the scoring at the tournament, and we can only hope for anything quite as dramatic this time around.
With Mexico on home soil, expect just as vibrant and passionate a crowd as there was in Johannesburg 16 years ago to the day that this game takes place. The backdrop of a packed 87,000-seater stadium should guarantee a spectacle.
Brazil vs Morocco
13 June, 11pm
The problem with the expanded format at this year’s World Cup is that the best sides are spread out even more than before, meaning group games between high-quality teams are rarer.
But even so, we only have to wait until the third day of the 2026 World Cup for a truly eye-catching affair. Five-time champions Brazil face surprise 2022 semi-finalists Morocco in a game that promises plenty.
Brazil vs Morocco
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5 days ago Jean-Baptiste CailletBrazil’s squad is stacked with attacking quality – Carlo Ancelotti has selected just five midfielders and nine forwards – and they have been playing a gung-ho 4-2-4 formation in their preparations for the tournament.
Meanwhile, Morocco approached the 2025 AFCON with a new, more attacking ethos, and we may see them on the front foot at this tournament more than we did in Qatar. That could all make for an enthralling meeting here.
Netherlands vs Japan
14 June, 9pm
The opening game in Group F is another that grabs the attention. Netherlands aren’t exactly outsiders to win the whole thing given how much talent they have in their squad, but their 1-0 defeat to Algeria in a warm-up friendly shows that they aren’t without their problems.
Japan probably won’t be winning the World Cup, even if manager Hajime Moriyasu insists they can, but they have previous when it comes to slaying World Cup giants and could certainly pose a problem for the Netherlands here. At Qatar 2022, they won group-stage games against both Germany and Spain.
A win here would throw this group wide open and give them a good chance of topping the group – as they did in 2022. The Opta supercomputer gives them a 26.7% chance of doing so, but that would shoot up with a victory in their opener. They may go for it.
Spain vs Cape Verde
15 June, 5pm
The European champions and favourites to win the 2026 World Cup according to the Opta supercomputer kick off their campaign against a minnow making their debut in the competition.
Cape Verde are the second-least populous nation ever to qualify for the World Cup (after Iceland at Russia 2018 and Curaçao this year), and have made it to this tournament against the odds. Only three teams have a lower chance of making it out of their group than Cape Verde (32.9% at the time of writing).
We might not see a new entry on this list…
World CupThe Biggest World Cup Wins
3 weeks ago Oliver Hopkins…but of all the games in the group stage, this one is right up there among the biggest contenders for a thrashing. After all, Spain were pretty convincing in their opening game at the 2022 World Cup, a 7-0 victory over Costa Rica.
France vs Senegal
16 June, 8pm
These two sides have only met once before, but it was a pretty momentous game.
Reigning champions France kicked off their defence at the 2002 World Cup with a historic 1-0 defeat to Senegal, a result that sent shockwaves through the game and was the start of a disastrous campaign for the French.
France dominated that game but could not find a way through, and they may now be out for revenge in their opener in Group I this time around. It will be impossible to avoid the vast amount of narrative surrounding this one.
Iraq vs Norway
16 June, 11pm
Iraq are back for a second shot at the World Cup, making their return to the competition for the first time since 1986. Back then, they lost all three of their games, scoring only one goal before making an early exit.
They will want to make a better impression when they kick off their 2026 campaign in Boston, after a wait of two generations to see them back on the world stage.
Norway, however, will provide a real challenge. They were the top-scoring side in UEFA World Cup qualifying, scoring eight goals more than anyone else (37), and they are led by a group of genuine stars, including Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, Alexander Sørloth and Jørgen Strand Larsen.
Norway are being talked about as possible dark horses to win the World Cup, and could make a statement in their opener.
Ecuador vs Curaçao
21 June, 1am
Ecuador come into the 2026 World Cup off the back of an exceptional qualifying campaign, in which they finished second to Argentina in the South American group after losing only two of their 18 games and conceding just five goals. Their mean defence makes them a good shout to be this year’s surprise package.
They may be forced to attack against debutants Curaçao, the smallest country ever to make it to the World Cup, and likely the team against whom every other team in Group E will be hoping for three points.
Curaçao will have already played Germany, and may need a result in this game themselves. Plus, whatever they do on the pitch, they could be the feel-good story of the entire tournament, which would make for a good watch.
Scotland vs Brazil
24 June, 11pm
Scotland are back at the World Cup for the first time this century, and to say they are excited about it would be an understatement.
Their fans will be travelling to North America in their droves, and the game against Brazil will have been marked in everyone’s calendars ever since the draw was made. It is a rematch of the opening game of the tournament the last time Scotland played in the World Cup, in 1998.
Scotland have been at major tournaments since then, though, most recently at Euro 2024, when they were given a harsh welcome by Germany with a 5-1 mauling in their first match. You have to assume that lessons will have been learned from that game, and Scotland should make a better fist of it this time around.
Scotland have never made it out of the group stage of a major tournament in 12 attempts. Is this the time they finally manage it?
DR Congo vs Uzbekistan
28 June, 12.30am
Scouring through the fixture list, this isn’t exactly a match that screams World Cup pedigree. DR Congo have only played at the tournament once, in 1974, under the name Zaire, while Uzbekistan have never qualified before.
Neither team will harbour many hopes of finishing in the top two positions in Group K, with Portugal and Colombia likely to dominate. However, both will see their remaining opponents as very beatable, and their chances of progressing as one of the best third-place teams may well lie in how they get on in this game.
This is their final game of the group stage, and both teams might just need to go for broke, making this one worth staying up for.
Jordan vs Argentina
28 June, 3am
This being the final game for both teams in Group J, it’s impossible to know precisely how much is riding on it. It may be that Argentina are already through as group winners, for example.
However, there is just as much chance that this game remains important and meaningful for both teams. And anything could happen.
Jordan are one of the weakest teams heading to the World Cup, and Argentina are the reigning champions. This could be another contender for a record-breaking World Cup winning margin.
However, Argentina lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup despite allowing their opponents just 0.15 xG.
And what’s more, the World Cup holders have failed to make it out of the group stage in four of the last six editions (France in 2002, Italy in 2010, Spain in 2014 and Germany in 2018).
The new format makes elimination extremely unlikely for Argentina, but clearly the weight of expectation has made strange things happen to others.
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You Can’t Watch All 72 World Cup Group Games, So Here Are 10 to Make Sure You Don’t Miss Opta Analyst.
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