By Moiz Mustafa

June 8 (Daily Mirror) - The FIFA World Cup is one of those rare events that truly captures the imagination of football fans in Sri Lanka. Whether it is gathering with friends at midnight, watching matches at roadside cafés, or following every goal on your phone, the tournament has a way of bringing people together.

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 set to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, one thing becomes essential for local fans. Knowing the exact match start times in Sri Lankan Standard Time (SLST).

How to Follow the Full Schedule

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 104 matches, making it the biggest tournament ever.

Instead of tracking each fixture manually, fans can access the complete match schedule in Sri Lankan Standard Time here

Looking for completed match results? Follow every FIFA World Cup 2026 result from the group stage to the final in our dedicated results hub: Click here

Full fixture list:

Group Stage

12 June 2026 (Friday)
12:30 AM – Mexico 2-0 South Africa (Mexico City, Match 1, Group A)
7:30 AM – South Korea 2-1 Czechia (Guadalajara, Match 2, Group A)

13 June 2026 (Saturday)
12:30 AM – Canada 1-1 Bosnia (Toronto, Match 3, Group B)
6:30 AM – USA 4-1 Paraguay (Los Angeles, Match 4, Group D)

14 June 2026 (Sunday)
12:30 AM – Qatar 1-1 Switzerland (SF Bay Area, Match 8, Group B)
3:30 AM – Brazil 1-1 Morocco (New York, Match 7, Group C)
6:30 AM – Haiti 0-1 Scotland (Boston, Match 5, Group C)
9:30 AM – Australia 2-0 Turkey (Vancouver, Match 6, Group D)
10:30 PM – Germany 7-1 Curaçao (Houston, Match 10, Group E)

15 June 2026 (Monday)
1:30 AM – Netherlands 2-2 Japan (Dallas, Match 11, Group F)
4:30 AM – Ivory Coast 1-0 Ecuador (Philadelphia, Match 9, Group E)
7:30 AM – Sweden 5-1 Tunisia (Monterrey, Match 12, Group F)
9:30 PM – Spain 0-0 Cape Verde (Atlanta, Match 14, Group H)

16 June 2026 (Tuesday)
12:30 AM – Belgium 1-1 Egypt (Seattle, Match 16, Group G)
3:30 AM – Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay (Miami, Match 13, Group H)
6:30 AM – Iran 2-2 New Zealand (Los Angeles, Match 15, Group G)

17 June 2026 (Wednesday)
12:30 AM – France 3-1 Senegal (New York, Match 17, Group I)
3:30 AM – Iraq 1-4 Norway (Boston, Match 18, Group I)
6:30 AM – Argentina 3-0 Algeria (Kansas City, Match 19, Group J)
9:30 AM – Austria 3-1 Jordan (SF Bay Area, Match 20, Group J)
10:30 PM – Portugal 1-1 DR Congo (Houston, Match 23, Group K)

18 June 2026 (Thursday)
1:30 AM – England 4-2 Croatia (Dallas, Match 22, Group L)
4:30 AM – Ghana 1-0 Panama (Toronto, Match 21, Group L)
7:30 AM – Uzbekistan 1-3 Colombia (Mexico City, Match 24, Group K)
9:30 PM – Czechia 1-1 South Africa (Atlanta, Match 25, Group A)

19 June 2026 (Friday)
12:30 AM – Switzerland 4-1 Bosnia (Los Angeles, Match 26, Group B)
3:30 AM – Canada 6-0 Qatar (Vancouver, Match 27, Group B)
6:30 AM – Mexico 1-0 South Korea (Guadalajara, Match 28, Group A)

20 June 2026 (Saturday)
12:30 AM – USA 2-0 Australia (Seattle, Match 32, Group D)
3:30 AM – Scotland 0-1 Morocco (Boston, Match 30, Group C)
6:00 AM – Brazil 3-0 Haiti (Philadelphia, Match 29, Group C)
8:30 AM – Turkey 0-1 Paraguay (SF Bay Area, Match 31, Group D)
10:30 PM – Netherlands 5-1 Sweden (Houston, Match 35, Group F)

21 June 2026 (Sunday)
1:30 AM – Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast (Toronto, Match 33, Group E)
5:30 AM – Ecuador 0-0 Curaçao (Kansas City, Match 34, Group E)
9:30 AM – Tunisia 0-4 Japan (Monterrey, Match 36, Group F)
9:30 PM – Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia (Atlanta, Match 38, Group H)

22 June 2026 (Monday)
12:30 AM – Belgium 0-0 Iran (Los Angeles, Match 39, Group G)
3:30 AM – Uruguay 2-2 Cape Verde (Miami, Match 37, Group H)
6:30 AM – New Zealand 1-3 Egypt (Vancouver, Match 40, Group G)
10:30 PM – Argentina 2-0 Austria (Dallas, Match 43, Group J)

23 June 2026 (Tuesday)
2:30 AM – France 3-0 Iraq (Philadelphia, Match 42, Group I)
5:30 AM – Norway 3-2 Senegal (New York, Match 41, Group I)
8:30 AM – Jordan 1-2 Algeria (SF Bay Area, Match 44, Group J)
10:30 PM – Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan (Houston, Match 47, Group K)

24 June 2026 (Wednesday)
1:30 AM – England 0-0 Ghana (Boston, Match 45, Group L)
4:30 AM – Panama 0-1 Croatia (Toronto, Match 46, Group L)
7:30 AM – Colombia 1-0 DR Congo (Guadalajara, Match 48, Group K)

25 June 2026 (Thursday)

12:30 AM – Switzerland vs Canada (Vancouver, Match 51, Group B)
12:30 AM – Bosnia vs Qatar (Seattle, Match 52, Group B)
3:30 AM – Scotland vs Brazil (Miami, Match 49, Group C)
3:30 AM – Morocco vs Haiti (Atlanta, Match 50, Group C)
6:30 AM – Czechia vs Mexico (Mexico City, Match 53, Group A)
6:30 AM – South Africa vs South Korea (Monterrey, Match 54, Group A)

26 June 2026 (Friday)

1:30 AM – Curaçao vs Ivory Coast (Philadelphia, Match 55, Group E)
1:30 AM – Ecuador vs Germany (New York, Match 56, Group E)
4:30 AM – Japan vs Sweden (Dallas, Match 57, Group F)
4:30 AM – Tunisia vs Netherlands (Kansas City, Match 58, Group F)
7:30 AM – Turkey vs USA (Los Angeles, Match 59, Group D)
7:30 AM – Paraguay vs Australia (SF Bay Area, Match 60, Group D)

27 June 2026 (Saturday)

12:30 AM – Norway vs France (Boston, Match 61, Group I)
12:30 AM – Senegal vs Iraq (Toronto, Match 62, Group I)
5:30 AM – Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia (Houston, Match 65, Group H)
5:30 AM – Uruguay vs Spain (Guadalajara, Match 66, Group H)
8:30 AM – Egypt vs Iran (Seattle, Match 63, Group G)
8:30 AM – New Zealand vs Belgium (Vancouver, Match 64, Group G)

28 June 2026 (Sunday)

2:30 AM – Panama vs England (New York, Match 67, Group L)
2:30 AM – Croatia vs Ghana (Philadelphia, Match 68, Group L)
5:00 AM – Colombia vs Portugal (Miami, Match 71, Group K)
5:00 AM – DR Congo vs Uzbekistan (Atlanta, Match 72, Group K)
7:30 AM – Algeria vs Austria (Kansas City, Match 69, Group J)
7:30 AM – Jordan vs Argentina (Dallas, Match 70, Group J)

29 June 2026 (Monday)

12:30 AM – Runner-up Group A vs Runner-up Group B (Los Angeles, Match 73)
10:30 PM – Winner Group C vs Runner-up Group F (Houston, Match 76)

30 June 2026 (Tuesday)

2:00 AM – Winner Group E vs 3rd (A/B/C/D/F) (Boston, Match 74)
6:30 AM – Winner Group F vs Runner-up Group C (Monterrey, Match 75)
10:30 PM – Runner-up Group E vs Runner-up Group I (Dallas, Match 78)

1 July 2026 (Wednesday)

2:30 AM – Winner Group I vs 3rd (C/D/F/G/H) (New York, Match 77)
6:30 AM – Winner Group A vs 3rd (C/E/F/H/I) (Mexico City, Match 79)
9:30 PM – Winner Group L vs 3rd (E/H/I/J/K) (Atlanta, Match 80)

2 July 2026 (Thursday)

1:30 AM – Winner Group G vs 3rd (A/E/H/I/J) (Seattle, Match 82)
5:30 AM – Winner Group D vs 3rd (B/E/F/I/J) (SF Bay Area, Match 81)

3 July 2026 (Friday)

12:30 AM – Winner Group H vs Runner-up Group J (Los Angeles, Match 84)
4:30 AM – Runner-up Group K vs Runner-up Group L (Toronto, Match 83)
8:30 AM – Winner Group B vs 3rd (E/F/G/I/J) (Vancouver, Match 85)
11:30 PM – Runner-up Group D vs Runner-up Group G (Dallas, Match 88)

4 July 2026 (Saturday)

3:30 AM – Winner Group J vs Runner-up Group H (Miami, Match 86)
7:00 AM – Winner Group K vs 3rd (D/E/I/J/L) (Kansas City, Match 87)

Round of 16 (5 – 8 July 2026)

5 July 2026 (Sunday)

2:30 AM – Winner Match 74 vs Winner Match 77 (Philadelphia, Match 89)
4.30 AM - Winner Match 73 vs Winner Match 75 (Houston, Match 90)

6 July 2026 (Monday)

1:30 AM – Winner Match 76 vs Winner Match 78 (New York, Match 91)
5:30 AM – Winner Match 79 vs Winner Match 80 (Mexico City, Match 92)

7 July 2026 (Tuesday)

12:30 AM – Winner Match 83 vs Winner Match 84 (Dallas, Match 93)
5:30 AM – Winner Match 81 vs Winner Match 82 (Seattle, Match 94)
9:30 PM – Winner Match 86 vs Winner Match 88 (Atlanta, Match 95)

8 July 2026 (Wednesday)

1:30 AM – Winner Match 85 vs Winner Match 87 (Vancouver, Match 96)

Quarterfinals (10 – 12 July 2026)

10 July 2026 (Friday)

1:30 AM – Winner Match 89 vs Winner Match 90 (Boston, Match 97)

11 July 2026 (Saturday)

12:30 AM – Winner Match 93 vs Winner Match 94 (Los Angeles, Match 98)

12 July 2026 (Sunday)

2:30 AM – Winner Match 91 vs Winner Match 92 (Miami, Match 99)
6:30 AM – Winner Match 95 vs Winner Match 96 (Kansas City, Match 100)

Semifinals (15 – 16 July 2026)

15 July 2026 (Wednesday)

12:30 AM – Winner Match 97 vs Winner Match 98 (Dallas, Match 101)

16 July 2026 (Thursday)

12:30 AM – Winner Match 99 vs Winner Match 100 (Atlanta, Match 102)

Third Place Match

19 July 2026 (Sunday)

2:30 AM – Loser Match 101 vs Loser Match 102 (Miami, Match 103)

Final

20 July 2026 (Monday)

12:30 AM – Winner Match 101 vs Winner Match 102 (New York, Match 104)

Why Match Timing Matters for Sri Lankan Fans

Because the tournament is being played in North America, the time difference means most matches will not fall into typical evening viewing hours in Sri Lanka.

Instead, fans should be prepared for

• Late-night kickoffs
• Overnight football sessions
• Early morning matches before sunrise

For many, this means sacrificing sleep, but that has always been part of the World Cup experience. The good news is that several knockout matches and high-profile clashes are expected to fall into more comfortable late-night windows.

How to Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 Live in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lankan football fans can watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ live on SLT-MOBITEL PEOTV and PEO MOBILE in HD. Matches will also be available free-to-air on Sirasa TV, TV1, and Shakthi TV following the Maharaja Media Network's acquisition of the tournament's broadcasting rights in Sri Lanka. Coverage will run from 12 June to 20 July 2026, bringing every match from the opening game to the final to audiences across the island.

Final Word

The FIFA World Cup 2026 promises to be bigger, longer, and more exciting than ever before. For Sri Lankan fans, this is a tournament that will be lived through the night. From the first whistle in Mexico City to the final in New Jersey, football will run across midnight hours, early mornings, and everything in between.

With a clear understanding of Sri Lankan Standard Time schedules, fans can plan, avoid missing key moments, and fully immerse themselves in the world’s biggest sporting event.

So set your alarms, prepare for sleepless nights, and get ready. Football’s grandest stage is coming, and this time, it will be running through the night in Sri Lanka.

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