India Viewing Guide

FIFA World Cup 2026 Kickoff Times in IST

All 104 matches converted to Indian Standard Time (UTC+5:30). The tournament runs from Thursday, June 11, 2026 to Sunday, July 19, 2026. IST has no daylight saving, so these times are accurate from opener to final. Each match is rated by how easy it is to watch live from India.

Easy (5 AM-10 PM IST)

Late night (10 PM-1 AM)

Overnight (1-4 AM)

Pre-dawn (4-5 AM)

India schedule page Where to watch in India

How IST kickoff times work for the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 World Cup is hosted across three North American time zones: Pacific (UTC-7), Mountain/Central (UTC-6), Eastern (UTC-4 in summer with DST), and one Mexican zone (UTC-6 Central Mexico). IST is UTC+5:30 with no daylight saving. That puts India between 9.5 hours (vs ET) and 12.5 hours (vs PT) ahead of the host venues.

The practical effect: most kickoffs fall between 10:30 PM IST (the earliest US afternoon games) and 8:30 AM IST (the latest US Pacific night games). The final at MetLife Stadium starts at 3:00 PM ET on Sunday, July 19, which lands at 12:30 AM IST on Monday, July 20. A late finish for Indian fans, but workable.

Group-stage matches at Mexico City (UTC-6, no DST) tend to give Indian viewers the friendliest hours, especially the noon and 3 PM CT kickoffs which translate to 11:30 PM IST and 2:30 AM IST. Pacific-zone matches (Los Angeles, Vancouver, Seattle) are uniformly difficult, landing between 5:30 AM and 9:30 AM IST.

All 104 matches in IST

Sorted by date. Tap any match to view the full preview with venue, head-to-head, and per-country kickoff times.

Thu, Jun 11 IST

11:30 PM
Group stage · A
Mexicovs South Africa
Estadio Azteca
Late night

Fri, Jun 12 IST

9:30 PM
Group stage · B
Canadavs Qatar
BMO Field
Easy

Sat, Jun 13 IST

Sun, Jun 14 IST

Mon, Jun 15 IST

Tue, Jun 16 IST

Wed, Jun 17 IST

Thu, Jun 18 IST

Fri, Jun 19 IST

Sat, Jun 20 IST

Sun, Jun 21 IST

Mon, Jun 22 IST

Tue, Jun 23 IST

Wed, Jun 24 IST

Thu, Jun 25 IST

Fri, Jun 26 IST

Sat, Jun 27 IST

Sun, Jun 28 IST

Mon, Jun 29 IST

Tue, Jun 30 IST

Wed, Jul 1 IST

Thu, Jul 2 IST

Fri, Jul 3 IST

Sat, Jul 4 IST

9:30 PM
Round of 16
Winner of M73vs Winner of M74
Lincoln Financial Field
Easy

Sun, Jul 5 IST

Mon, Jul 6 IST

1:30 AM
Round of 16
Winner of M79vs Winner of M80
AT&T Stadium
Overnight

Tue, Jul 7 IST

Wed, Jul 8 IST

Fri, Jul 10 IST

Frequently asked questions

What time is the FIFA World Cup 2026 final in IST?

The FIFA World Cup 2026 final kicks off at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. In Indian Standard Time, that is 12:30 AM IST on Monday, July 20, 2026. A late-night final for Indian viewers, but easier than the 2022 Qatar final, which was at midnight IST.

What time is the World Cup 2026 opening match in India?

The opener, Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca, kicks off at 12:00 PM Central Time on Thursday, June 11, 2026. In IST that is 11:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2026. Late but watchable on a weekday for Indian fans.

Are any World Cup 2026 matches in the morning India time?

No. Every match is between roughly 10:30 PM IST (afternoon US kickoffs) and 8:30 AM IST (late-night US kickoffs). Most matches fall between 10:30 PM and 4:30 AM IST. There are no daytime IST matches because the tournament is in North American timezones.

What is the easiest match to watch live from India?

The most India-friendly kickoffs are matches at 12:00 PM ET (9:30 PM IST) on weekdays, particularly evening group-stage games hosted in Mexico City and Eastern US venues. These fall around prime-time IST. The toughest are 9:00 PM PT (9:30 AM IST), but those are rare.

Will the World Cup 2026 be broadcast on TV in India?

As of May 2026, the FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast deal for India is not yet finalized. Historically the rights have gone to Sony Sports Network or Viacom18, but no announcement has been made. The Indian government is reportedly considering a mandatory free-to-air clause for DD Sports. For the latest, see our India viewing guide.

How do I convert kickoff times from ET or PT to IST?

Add 9 hours 30 minutes to US Eastern Time (during US Daylight Saving), or add 12 hours 30 minutes to US Pacific Time. So a 3:00 PM ET kickoff is 12:30 AM IST the next day. A 9:00 PM PT kickoff is 9:30 AM IST the next day. IST has no DST, so the offset stays constant through the tournament.