Ireland’s 2026 FIFA World Cup kick-off times: full RTÉ match schedule

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be broadcast live on RTÉ, with Irish viewers set to experience a month of wall-to-wall football, from the opening match on Thursday 11 June to the final on Sunday 19 July.

The tournament begins with Mexico vs. South Africa to 8 p.m. Irish time, ahead of a crowded group stage featuring Brazil, England, Argentina, France, Portugal, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands.

Below is the complete list of 2026 FIFA World Cup Irish Kick-Off Timesincluding the group stage, round of 16, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, third place play-off and final. All games are listed in Irish time.

2026 FIFA World Cup group stage schedule

Thursday June 11

• 8:00 p.m. – Mexico vs. South Africa
• 03:00 – South Korea vs Czechia

Friday June 12

• 8:00 p.m. – Canada vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina
• 02:00 – United States vs. Paraguay

Saturday June 13

• 8:00 p.m. – Qatar vs Switzerland
• 11:00 p.m. – Brazil – Morocco
• 02:00 – Haiti vs Scotland
• 05:00 – Australia v Türkiye

Sunday June 14

• 6:00 p.m. – Germany vs. Curaçao
• 9:00 p.m. – Netherlands vs Japan
• 00:00 – Ivory Coast vs Ecuador
• 03:00 – Sweden vs Tunisia

Monday June 15

• 5:00 p.m. – Spain vs Cape Verde
• 8:00 p.m. – Belgium versus Egypt
• 11:00 p.m. – Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay
• 02:00 – Iran v New Zealand

Tuesday June 16

• 8:00 p.m. – France – Senegal
• 11:00 p.m. – Iraq vs. Norway
• 02:00 – Argentina vs Algeria
• 05:00 – Austria vs Jordan

Wednesday June 17

• 6:00 p.m. – Portugal x DR Congo
• 9:00 p.m. – England v Croatia
• 00:00 – Ghana vs Panama
• 03:00 – Uzbekistan vs Colombia

Thursday June 18

• 5:00 p.m. – Czechia vs South Africa
• 8:00 p.m. – Switzerland vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina
• 11:00 p.m. – Canada vs. Qatar
• 02:00 – Mexico vs. South Korea

Friday June 19

• 8:00 p.m. – USA vs Australia
• 11:00 p.m. – Scotland vs Morocco
• 01:30 – Brazil vs. Haiti
• 04:00 – Türkiye vs Paraguay

Saturday June 20

• 6:00 p.m. – Netherlands vs Sweden
• 9:00 p.m. – Germany vs. Ivory Coast
• 01:00 – Ecuador vs Curaçao
• 05:00 – Tunisia vs Japan

Sunday June 21

• 5:00 p.m. – Spain vs Saudi Arabia
• 8:00 p.m. – Belgium vs Iran
• 11:00 p.m. – Uruguay vs Cape Verde
• 02:00 – New Zealand v Egypt

Monday June 22

• 6:00 p.m. – Argentina vs Austria
• 10:00 p.m. – France versus Iraq
• 01:00 – Norway – Senegal
• 04:00 – Jordan vs Algeria

Tuesday June 23

• 6:00 p.m. – Portugal vs Uzbekistan
• 9:00 p.m. – England v Ghana
• 00:00 – Panama vs Croatia
• 03:00 – Colombia vs DR Congo

Wednesday June 24

• 8:00 p.m. – Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Qatar
• 8:00 p.m. – Switzerland vs. Canada
• 11:00 p.m. – Morocco vs. Haiti
• 11:00 p.m. – Scotland v Brazil
• 02:00 – Czechia vs Mexico
• 02:00 – South Africa vs South Korea

Thursday June 25

• 9:00 p.m. – Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast
• 9:00 p.m. – Ecuador vs. Germany
• 00:00 – Japan vs Sweden
• 00:00 – Tunisia vs Netherlands
• 03:00 – Paraguay vs Australia
• 03:00 – Turkey in the USA

Friday June 26

• 8:00 p.m. – Norway – France
• 8:00 p.m. – Senegal against Iraq
• 01:00 – Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia
• 01:00 – Uruguay vs Spain
• 04:00 – Egypt vs Iran
• 04:00 – New Zealand v Belgium

Saturday June 27

• 10:00 p.m. – Croatia vs Ghana
• 10:00 p.m. – Panama vs England
• 00:30 – Colombia x Portugal
• 00:30 – DR Congo vs Uzbekistan
• 03:00 – Algeria – Austria
• 03:00 – Jordan vs. Argentina

2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage

Round of 16

• Sunday June 28 – 8:00 p.m.
• Monday June 29 – 6:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 2:00 a.m.
• Tuesday June 30 – 6:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m., 2:00 a.m.
• Wednesday July 1 – 5:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., 1:00 a.m.
• Thursday July 2 – 8:00 p.m., 12:00 a.m., 4:00 a.m.
• Friday July 3 – 7:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m., 2:30 a.m.

Round of 16

• Saturday July 4 – 6:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.
• Sunday July 5 – 9:00 p.m., 1:00 a.m.
• Monday July 6 – 8:00 p.m., 1:00 a.m.
• Tuesday July 7 – 5:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m.

Quarter-finals

• Thursday July 9 – 9:00 p.m.
• Friday July 10 – 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday July 11 – 10:00 p.m., 2:00 a.m.

Semi-finals

• Tuesday July 14 – 8:00 p.m.
• Wednesday July 15 – 8:00 p.m.

Play-off for third place

• Saturday July 18 – 10:00 p.m.

2026 FIFA World Cup Final

• Sunday July 19 – 8:00 p.m.

All games live on RTÉ

Irish football fans will be able to watch every match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup live on RTÉ, from the opening match through to the final. The expanded format means more games, more late-night drama and a busy schedule in June and July.

With matches involving England, Brazil, Argentina, France, Portugal, Germany and Spain all scheduled at favorable evening times during the group stage, the tournament is expected to generate huge interest among Irish viewers.

SportsNewsIreland.com will continue to provide 2026 World Cup updates, TV details, fixtures, results and reaction throughout the tournament.