Hinglish guides:
FIFA World Cup 2026 in IST
World Cup 2026 Schedule in India
The 2026 World Cup is the first major tournament held entirely outside India-friendly hours since 1994. Matches will run from mid-evening to early morning IST, with the final on July 20 starting at 12:30 AM IST. The opener (Mexico vs South Africa, June 11) kicks off at 12:30 AM IST on June 12 -- Mexico City's 1pm kickoff, which is 9.5 hours later in IST. East-coast US venue matches at 12:00 PM ET (9:30 PM IST) are the more-watchable slots for Indian viewers.
Zee Entertainment has won the FIFA World Cup 2026 India broadcasting rights -- confirmed June 1, 2026, ending months of speculation. Zee's eight-year deal with FIFA also covers the Women's World Cup 2027 and the 2030 men's World Cup. Television coverage runs on Zee's new Unite8 Sports channels (Unite8 Sports 1/HD in Hindi, Unite8 Sports 2/HD in English), with streaming on ZEE5. JioStar had been the early frontrunner before FIFA rejected its reported $20 million bid; the final Zee deal was valued around $30-35 million per industry reports. India will field no team at the tournament; qualifying ended in the AFC third round.
All times converted from venue local time to IST. East-coast venues (New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami) and Mexico City venues produce the most India-friendly kickoff windows. West-coast venues (Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Vancouver) push into the early-morning IST window. Plan your viewing around the 9:30 PM IST slot when possible.
Kickoff windows in IST
Most World Cup 2026 matches kick off in one of four standard windows. Use this as your at-a-glance reference.
More for India
Looking for the full IST kickoff table?
Every match in Indian Standard Time, with watchability ratings for easy live viewing, late nights, and overnight games. Includes the 2026 final in IST.
View IST kickoff timesDownload the India schedule PDF
Take the full India-time schedule offline. A4 printable, optimized for office walls and home printing.
Every match, IST time
All 104 matches in chronological order by your local viewing date. Times shown are venue kickoff converted to IST.
Friday, June 12
Saturday, June 13
Sunday, June 14
Monday, June 15
Tuesday, June 16
Wednesday, June 17
Thursday, June 18
Friday, June 19
Saturday, June 20
Sunday, June 21
Monday, June 22
Tuesday, June 23
Wednesday, June 24
Thursday, June 25
Friday, June 26
Saturday, June 27
Sunday, June 28
Monday, June 29
Tuesday, June 30
Wednesday, July 1
Thursday, July 2
Friday, July 3
Saturday, July 4
Sunday, July 5
Monday, July 6
Tuesday, July 7
Wednesday, July 8
Friday, July 10
Saturday, July 11
Sunday, July 12
Wednesday, July 15
Thursday, July 16
Sunday, July 19
Frequently asked questions
What time does the FIFA World Cup 2026 final start in India?
The final is on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium. Kickoff is 3:00 PM ET, which is 12:30 AM IST on Monday, July 20. The match runs to approximately 2:30 AM IST, with extra time and penalties potentially extending it past 3:30 AM IST.
Where can I watch World Cup 2026 in India?
Zee Entertainment holds the official FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcasting rights for India, confirmed June 1, 2026. All 104 matches air live on Zee's Unite8 Sports channels (Unite8 Sports 1/HD for Hindi commentary, Unite8 Sports 2/HD for English) and stream on ZEE5. The deal is part of an eight-year FIFA partnership covering also the 2027 Women's World Cup and 2030 men's World Cup.
What is the IST time for World Cup 2026 matches?
India Standard Time is 9.5 hours ahead of US Eastern Time. A 12:00 PM ET kickoff is 9:30 PM IST. A 3:00 PM ET kickoff is 12:30 AM IST the next day. Most India-friendly fixtures kick off at 9:30 PM IST.
Is there an India-friendly World Cup 2026 match?
The opening match (Mexico vs South Africa) kicks off at 1pm Mexico City time on June 11 -- 12:30 AM IST on June 12, a late-night fixture. East Coast US venue matches at 12:00 PM ET (9:30 PM IST) are the most-watchable for Indian viewers without staying up past midnight.
More World Cup 2026 resources
Last updated June 2, 2026.