The FIFA World Cup 2026, the biggest sporting event of the year, is set to kick off on 12 June in Australia. With over 100 matches taking place across 16 cities in three countries, it’s a massive endeavour – and one that’s likely to have all eyes glued to the screen.
Australian fans will find all matches streaming on SBS and SBS On Demand, with the added benefit of time zone-friendly air times. As noted by SBS, around 69% of all live matches will air between 6am and 4.30pm AEST, so you won’t often need to wake up early or stay up late to see all the action.
When the times aren’t so convenient, SBS will offer free catch-up VODs complete with full matches, as well as 3-minute highlights, 12-minute extended highlights and 30-minute mini-matches – whatever suits your viewing schedule and time constraints.
FIFA World Cup 2026 – quick links
Key dates and events for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Australia
The opening ceremony, hosted locally by football presenters Niav Owens and Claudio Fabiano, will begin on 12 June. It will be followed by the very first match of the tournament, between Mexico and South Africa.
Australia will make its FIFA World Cup 2026 debut two days later, and is scheduled for the following matches:
- 14 June – Australia vs Türkiye
- 20 June – Australia vs US
- 26 June – Australia vs Paraguay
These matches will be accompanied by on-the-ground SBS commentary from David Basheer and two-time FIFA World Cup Socceroo, Luke Wilkshire.
The FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show will air live on SBS on 20 July, promising ‘football, music and social impact in a historic moment for the tournament, supporting the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund and featuring appearances by beloved characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets‘.
In addition to these key events, SBS will curate watch-along live streams on TikTok, and a special vodcast-style football briefing show, aptly titled The Football Briefing. This will be led by the SBS commentary team of David Basheer and Luke Wilkshire.
You’ll be able to find all of this unique coverage on the SBS Sport event page for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
FIFA World Cup 2026: full schedule and air times in Australia
Here’s the complete breakdown of the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches and air times in Australia, via SBS.
All times are listed in AEST. (For those in ACST, minus 30 minutes from each AEST listing. For those in AWST, minus 2 hours from each AEST listing.)
| Date | Air Time (AEST) | Match-up | Match Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 12 June | 4am – 7.30am | Mexico v South Africa | 1 |
| Friday 12 June | 11.30am – 2.30pm | Korea Republic v Czechia | 2 |
| Saturday 13 June | 4.30am – 7.30am | Canada v Bosnia-Herzegovina | 3 |
| Saturday 13 June | 10.30am – 1.30pm | USA v Paraguay | 4 |
| Sunday 14 June | 4.30am – 7.30am | Qatar v Switzerland | 8 |
| Sunday 14 June | 7.30am – 10.30am | Brazil v Morocco | 7 |
| Sunday 14 June | 10.30am – 1pm | Haiti v Scotland | 5 |
| Sunday 14 June | 1pm – 4.30pm | Australia v Türkiye | 6 |
| Monday 15 June | 2.30am – 5.30am | Germany v Curaçao | 10 |
| Monday 15 June | 5.30am – 8.30am | Netherlands v Japan | 11 |
| Monday 15 June | 8.30am – 11.30am | Cote d’Ivoire v Ecuador | 9 |
| Monday 15 June | 11.30am – 2.30pm | Sweden v Tunisia | 12 |
| Tuesday 16 June | 1.30am – 4.30am | Spain v Cabo Verde | 14 |
| Tuesday 16 June | 4.30am – 7.30am | Belgium v Egypt | 16 |
| Tuesday 16 June | 7.30am – 10.30am | Saudi Arabia v Uruguay | 13 |
| Tuesday 16 June | 10.30am – 1.30pm | IR Iran v New Zealand | 15 |
| Wednesday 17 June | 4.30am – 7.30am | France v Senegal | 17 |
| Wednesday 17 June | 7.30am – 10.30am | Iraq v Norway | 18 |
| Wednesday 17 June | 10.30am – 1.30pm | Argentina v Algeria | 19 |
| Wednesday 17 June | 1.30pm – 4.30pm | Austria v Jordan | 20 |
| Thursday 18 June | 2.30am – 5.30am | Portugal v Congo DR | 23 |
| Thursday 18 June | 5.30am – 8.30am | England v Croatia | 22 |
| Thursday 18 June | 8.30am – 11.30am | Ghana v Panama | 21 |
| Thursday 18 June | 11.30am – 2.30pm | Uzbekistan v Colombia | 24 |
| Friday 19 June | 1.30am – 4.30am | Czechia v South Africa | 25 |
| Friday 19 June | 4.30am – 7.30am | Switzerland v Bosnia-Herzegovina | 26 |
| Friday 19 June | 7.30am – 10.30am | Canada v Qatar | 27 |
| Friday 19 June | 10.30am – 1.30pm | Mexico v Korea Republic | 28 |
| Saturday 20 June | 4am – 7.30am | USA v Australia | 32 |
| Saturday 20 June | 7.30am – 10.30am | Scotland v Morocco | 30 |
| Saturday 20 June | 10am – 1pm | Brazil v Haiti | 29 |
| Saturday 20 June | 12.30pm – 3.30pm | Türkiye v Paraguay | 31 |
| Sunday 21 June | 2.30am – 5.30am | Netherlands v Sweden | 35 |
| Sunday 21 June | 5.30am – 8.30am | Germany v Cote d’Ivoire | 33 |
| Sunday 21 June | 9.30am – 12.30pm | Ecuador v Curaçao | 34 |
| Sunday 21 June | 1.30pm – 4.30pm | Tunisia v Japan | 36 |
| Monday 22 June | 1.30am – 4.30am | Spain v Saudi Arabia | 38 |
| Monday 22 June | 4.30am – 7.30am | Belgium v IR Iran | 39 |
| Monday 22 June | 7.30am – 10.30am | Uruguay v Cabo Verde | 37 |
| Monday 22 June | 10.30am – 1.30pm | New Zealand v Egypt | 40 |
| Tuesday 23 June | 2.30am – 5.30am | Argentina v Austria | 43 |
| Tuesday 23 June | 6.30am – 9.30am | France v Iraq | 42 |
| Tuesday 23 June | 9.30am – 12.30pm | Norway v Senegal | 41 |
| Tuesday 23 June | 12.30pm – 3.30pm | Jordan v Algeria | 44 |
| Wednesday 24 June | 2.30am – 5.30am | Portugal v Uzbekistan | 47 |
| Wednesday 24 June | 5.30am – 8.30am | England v Ghana | 45 |
| Wednesday 24 June | 8.30am – 11.30am | Panama v Croatia | 46 |
| Wednesday 24 June | 11.30am – 2.30pm | Colombia v Congo DR | 48 |
| Thursday 25 June | 4.30am – 7.30am | Switzerland v Canada | 51 |
| Thursday 25 June | 4.30am – 7.30am | Bosnia-Herzegovina v Qatar | 52 |
| Thursday 25 June | 7.30am – 10.30am | Scotland v Brazil | 49 |
| Thursday 25 June | 7.30am – 10.30am | Morocco v Haiti | 50 |
| Thursday 25 June | 10.30am – 1.30pm | Czechia v Mexico | 53 |
| Thursday 25 June | 10.30am – 1.30pm | South Africa v Korea Republic | 54 |
| Friday 26 June | 5.30am – 8.30am | Curaçao v Cote d’Ivoire | 55 |
| Friday 26 June | 5.30am – 8.30am | Ecuador v Germany | 56 |
| Friday 26 June | 8.30am – 11am | Japan v Sweden | 57 |
| Friday 26 June | 8.30am – 11.30am | Tunisia v Netherlands | 58 |
| Friday 26 June | 11.30am – 2.30pm | Türkiye v USA | 59 |
| Friday 26 June | 11am – 2.30pm | Paraguay v Australia | 60 |
| Saturday 27 June | 4.30am – 7.30am | Norway v France | 61 |
| Saturday 27 June | 4.30am – 7.30am | Senegal v Iraq | 62 |
| Saturday 27 June | 9.30am – 12.30pm | Cabo Verde v Saudi Arabia | 65 |
| Saturday 27 June | 9.30am – 12.30pm | Uruguay v Spain | 66 |
| Saturday 27 June | 12.30pm – 3.30pm | Egypt v IR Iran | 63 |
| Saturday 27 June | 12.30pm – 3.30pm | New Zealand v Belgium | 64 |
| Sunday 28 June | 6am – 9am | Panama v England | 67 |
| Sunday 28 June | 6.30am – 9am | Croatia v Ghana | 68 |
| Sunday 28 June | 9am – 11.30am | Colombia v Portugal | 71 |
| Sunday 28 June | 9am – 11.30am | Congo DR v Uzbekistan | 72 |
| Sunday 28 June | 11.30am – 2.30pm | Algeria v Austria | 69 |
| Sunday 28 June | 11.30am – 2.30pm | Jordan v Argentina | 70 |
| Monday 29 June | 4.30am – 7.30am | 2A v 2B (Round of 32) | 73 |
| Tuesday 30 June | 2.30am – 5.30am | 1C v 2F (Round of 32) | 76 |
| Tuesday 30 June | 6am – 9am | 1E v 3ABCDF (Round of 32) | 74 |
| Tuesday 30 June | 10.30am – 1.30pm | 1F v 2C (Round of 32) | 75 |
| Wednesday 1 July | 2.30am – 5.30am | 2E v 2I (Round of 32) | 78 |
| Wednesday 1 July | 6.30am – 9.30am | 1I v 3CDFGH (Round of 32) | 77 |
| Wednesday 1 July | 10.30am – 1.30pm | 1A v 3CEFHI (Round of 32) | 79 |
| Thursday 2 July | 1.30am – 4.30am | 1L v 3EHIJK (Round of 32) | 80 |
| Thursday 2 July | 5.30am – 8.30am | 1G v 3AEHIJ (Round of 32) | 82 |
| Thursday 2 July | 9.30am – 12.30pm | 1D v 3BEFIJ (Round of 32) | 81 |
| Friday 3 July | 4.30am – 7.30am | 1H v 2J (Round of 32) | 84 |
| Friday 3 July | 8.30am – 11.30am | 2K v 2L (Round of 32) | 83 |
| Friday 3 July | 12.30pm – 3.30pm | 1B v 3EFGIJ (Round of 32) | 85 |
| Saturday 4 July | 3.30am – 6.30am | 2D v 2G (Round of 32) | 88 |
| Saturday 4 July | 7.30am – 10.30am | 1J v 2H (Round of 32) | 86 |
| Saturday 4 July | 11am – 2pm | 1K v 3DEIJL (Round of 32) | 87 |
| Sunday 5 July | 2.30am – 5.30am | Winner #73 v Winner #75 (Round of 16) | 90 |
| Sunday 5 July | 6.30am – 9.30am | Winner #74 v Winner #77 (Round of 16) | 89 |
| Monday 6 July | 5.30am – 8.30am | Winner #76 v Winner #78 (Round of 16) | 91 |
| Monday 6 July | 9.30am – 12.30pm | Winner #79 v Winner #80 (Round of 16) | 92 |
| Tuesday 7 July | 4.30am – 7.30am | Winner #83 v Winner #84 (Round of 16) | 93 |
| Tuesday 7 July | 9.30am – 12.30pm | Winner #81 v Winner #82 (Round of 16) | 94 |
| Wednesday 8 July | 1.30am – 4.30am | Winner #86 v Winner #88 (Round of 16) | 95 |
| Wednesday 8 July | 5.30am – 8.30am | Winner #85 v Winner #87 (Round of 16) | 96 |
| Friday 10 July | 5.30am – 8.30am | Winner M#89 v Winner M#90 (Quarter-Finals) | 97 |
| Saturday 11 July | 4.30am – 7.30am | Winner M#93 v Winner M#94 (Quarter-Finals) | 98 |
| Sunday 12 July | 6.30am – 9.30am | Winner M#91 v Winner M#92 (Quarter-Finals) | 99 |
| Sunday 12 July | 10.30am – 1.30pm | Winner M#95 v Winner M#96 (Quarter-Finals) | 100 |
| Wednesday 15 July | 4am – 7.30am | Winner M#97 v Winner M#98 (Semi-Finals) | 101 |
| Thursday 16 July | 4am – 7.30am | Winner M#99 v Winner M#100 (Semi-Finals) | 102 |
| Sunday 19 July | 6.30am – 9.30am | Runner Up M#101 v Runner Up M#102 (Bronze Final) | 103 |
| Monday 20 July | 3.30am – 8.30am | Winner M#101 v Winner M#102 (Final) | 104 |
