As we're just under a week away from the competition starting, I thought I'd get this thread underway! Plenty of great discussion already across the forum, but if there are any general remarks you don't feel fit anywhere else feel free to leave them here. No matter how much/little you know or care about the tournament, you're more than welcome to comment along!

Qualification/Play-Offs:

Africa Qualification

Asia Qualification

Europe Qualification

Europe Play-Offs

Inter-Continential Play-Offs

North America Qualification

Oceania Qualification

South America Qualification

Countdown/ Pre-Tournament:

World Cup Host

Group Draw

Squads

Official Kits

Team Guide presented by LewisGT

Who Will Win The 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Mack's Top 25 Best FIFA World Cup Matches Revisited

Games/Quizzes

Sweepstake

World Cup Moments Quiz About You

Still have to check my wall chart to see the best days to take off to watch the later kick offs.

read lots of news about fans struggling to enter the country due to their visas.

not surprised at all.

Ridiculous - the Iranian national team as well.

Classic that they wait until NOW to deny Iranian fans entry as well when they knew full well they would make this decision months ago yet still desperately wanted as much $$$ as possible.

They generally are a horrible bunch of lads the US government.

Now one of africas best refs isn’t allowed in due to be from Somalia

compared to Mexico, it's most certainly the polar opposite...

World Cup 2026 Group Stage UK TV schedule

(All times BST)
11 June: Mexico v South Africa (20:00 BST) - ITV
12 June: South Korea v Czech Republic (03:00) - ITV
12 June: Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina (20:00) - BBC
13 June: USA v Paraguay (02:00) - BBC
13 June: Qatar v Switzerland (20:00) - ITV
13 June: Brazil v Morocco (23:00) - BBC

14 June: Scotland v Haiti (02.00) - BBC
14 June: Australia v Turkey (05:00) - ITV
14 June: Germany v Curacao (18:00) - ITV
14 June: Netherlands v Japan (21:00) - ITV

15 June: Ivory Coast v Ecuador (00:00) - BBC
15 June: Sweden v Tunisia (03:00) - ITV
15 June: Spain v Cape Verde (17:00) - ITV
15 June: Belgium v Egypt (20:00) - BBC
15 June: Saudi Arabia v Uruguay (23:00) - ITV
16 June: Iran v New Zealand (02:00) - BBC
16 June: France v Senegal (20:00) - BBC
16 June: Iraq v Norway (23:00) - BBC
17 June: Argentina v Algeria (02:00) - ITV
17 June: Austria v Jordan (05:00) - BBC
17 June: Portugal v DR Congo (18:00) - BBC
17 June: England v Croatia (21:00) - ITV
18 June: Ghana v Panama (00:00) - ITV
18 June: Uzbekistan v Colombia (03:00) - BBC
18 June: South Africa v Czech Republic (17:00) - BBC
18 June: Bosnia and Herzegovina v Switzerland (20:00) - ITV
18 June: Canada v Qatar (23:00) - ITV
19 June: Mexico v South Korea (02:00) - BBC
19 June: USA v Australia (20:00) - BBC
19 June: Scotland v Morocco (23:00) - ITV
20 June: Paraguay v Turkey (04:00) - ITV
20 June: Brazil v Haiti (01:30) - ITV
20 June: Netherlands v Sweden (18:00) - BBC
20 June: Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00) - ITV

21 June: Curacao v Ecuador (01:00) - BBC
21 June: Japan v Tunisia (05:00) - BBC
21 June: Spain v Saudi Arabia (17:00) - BBC
21 June: Belgium v Iran (20:00) - ITV
21 June: Cape Verde v Uruguay (23:00) - BBC
22 June: Egypt v New Zealand (02:00) - ITV
22 June: Argentina v Austria (18:00) - BBC
22 June: France v Iraq (22:00) - BBC
23 June: Senegal v Norway (01:00) - ITV
23 June: Algeria v Jordan (04:00) - ITV
23 June: Portugal v Uzbekistan (18:00) - ITV
23 June: England v Ghana (21:00) - BBC
24 June: Croatia v Panama (00:00) - BBC
24 June: Colombia v DR Congo (03:00) - ITV
24 June: Canada v Switzerland- ITV

24 June: Bosnia and Herzegovina v Qatar (20:00)- ITV4
24 June: Scotland v Brazil (23;00) BBC One

24 June: Morocco v Haiti (23:00) BBC Two

25 June: Czech Republic v Mexico (02:00)- BBC One

25 June: South Africa v South Korea (02:00)- BBC Two

25 June: Ecuador v Germany (21:00)- BBC One

25 June: Curacao v Ivory Coast (21:00)- BBC Two

26 June: Tunisia v Netherlands (00:00)- BBC One

26 June: Japan v Sweden (00:00)- BBC Two

26 June: Turkey v USA (03:00)- ITV

26 June: Paraguay v Australia (03:00)- ITV4

26 June: Norway v France (20:00)- ITV

26 June: Senegal v Iraq (20:00)- ITV4

27 June: Uruguay v Spain (01:00)- ITV

27 June: Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia (01:00)- ITV4

27 June: New Zealand v Belgium (04:00)- BBC One

27 June: Egypt v Iran (04:00)- BBC Two

27 June: Panama v England (22:00)- ITV

27 June: Croatia v Ghana (22:00)- ITV4

28 June: Colombia v Portugal (00:30)- BBC One

28 June: DR Congo v Uzbekistan (00:30)- BBC Two

28 June: Jordan v Argentina (03:00)- BBC One

28 June: Algeria v Austria (03:00)- BBC Two

World feed commentators are:

Peter Drury, Martin Tyler, Simon Brotherton, Chris Wise, Paul Walker, David Stowell, Kevin Keatings, Conor McNamara, John Roder, Ellen Ellard, Paul Scott, Tony Husband, James Fielden, Josh Eastern and Mike Watts,

Co-commentators are:

Alan Smith, Andy Townsend, Danny Higginbotham, Matt Holland, Courtney Sweetman-Kirk, Brad Friedel, Mark Schwarzer, Craig Forrest, Dean Ashton, Heath Pearce, Chris Iwelumo, Tab Ramos, Casey Stoney and Jamie Watson.

BBC Line-Up and Press Release:

FIFA World Cup 2026 on the BBC -...

FIFA World Cup 2026 on the BBC - meet the lineup and find...

The BBC is delivering its most ambitious World Cup yet, bringing together world-class live coverage, a standout line-up of presenters and pundits, and in-depth storytelling across every platform

ITV Line-Up and Press Release:

https://www.itv.com/presscentre/media-releases/itv-sport-announce-full-presenter-and-pundit-line-fifa-world-cup-2026

Interesting the bbc chose not to go out to Mexico/US/Canada.

6 hours ago, Mack. said:

World Cup 2026 Group Stage UK TV schedule

(All times BST)
11 June: Mexico v South Africa (20:00 BST) - ITV
12 June: South Korea v Czech Republic (03:00) - ITV
12 June: Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina (20:00) - BBC
13 June: USA v Paraguay (02:00) - BBC
13 June: Qatar v Switzerland (20:00) - ITV
13 June: Brazil v Morocco (23:00) - BBC

14 June: Scotland v Haiti (02.00) - BBC
14 June: Australia v Turkey (05:00) - ITV
14 June: Germany v Curacao (18:00) - ITV
14 June: Netherlands v Japan (21:00) - ITV

15 June: Ivory Coast v Ecuador (00:00) - BBC
15 June: Sweden v Tunisia (03:00) - ITV
15 June: Spain v Cape Verde (17:00) - ITV
15 June: Belgium v Egypt (20:00) - BBC
15 June: Saudi Arabia v Uruguay (23:00) - ITV
16 June: Iran v New Zealand (02:00) - BBC
16 June: France v Senegal (20:00) - BBC
16 June: Iraq v Norway (23:00) - BBC
17 June: Argentina v Algeria (02:00) - ITV
17 June: Austria v Jordan (05:00) - BBC
17 June: Portugal v DR Congo (18:00) - BBC
17 June: England v Croatia (21:00) - ITV
18 June: Ghana v Panama (00:00) - ITV
18 June: Uzbekistan v Colombia (03:00) - BBC
18 June: South Africa v Czech Republic (17:00) - BBC
18 June: Bosnia and Herzegovina v Switzerland (20:00) - ITV
18 June: Canada v Qatar (23:00) - ITV
19 June: Mexico v South Korea (02:00) - BBC
19 June: USA v Australia (20:00) - BBC
19 June: Scotland v Morocco (23:00) - ITV
20 June: Paraguay v Turkey (04:00) - ITV
20 June: Brazil v Haiti (01:30) - ITV
20 June: Netherlands v Sweden (18:00) - BBC
20 June: Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00) - ITV

21 June: Curacao v Ecuador (01:00) - BBC
21 June: Japan v Tunisia (05:00) - BBC
21 June: Spain v Saudi Arabia (17:00) - BBC
21 June: Belgium v Iran (20:00) - ITV
21 June: Cape Verde v Uruguay (23:00) - BBC
22 June: Egypt v New Zealand (02:00) - ITV
22 June: Argentina v Austria (18:00) - BBC
22 June: France v Iraq (22:00) - BBC
23 June: Senegal v Norway (01:00) - ITV
23 June: Algeria v Jordan (04:00) - ITV
23 June: Portugal v Uzbekistan (18:00) - ITV
23 June: England v Ghana (21:00) - BBC
24 June: Croatia v Panama (00:00) - BBC
24 June: Colombia v DR Congo (03:00) - ITV
24 June: Canada v Switzerland- ITV

24 June: Bosnia and Herzegovina v Qatar (20:00)- ITV4
24 June: Scotland v Brazil (23;00) BBC One

24 June: Morocco v Haiti (23:00) BBC Two

25 June: Czech Republic v Mexico (02:00)- BBC One

25 June: South Africa v South Korea (02:00)- BBC Two

25 June: Ecuador v Germany (21:00)- BBC One

25 June: Curacao v Ivory Coast (21:00)- BBC Two

26 June: Tunisia v Netherlands (00:00)- BBC One

26 June: Japan v Sweden (00:00)- BBC Two

26 June: Turkey v USA (03:00)- ITV

26 June: Paraguay v Australia (03:00)- ITV4

26 June: Norway v France (20:00)- ITV

26 June: Senegal v Iraq (20:00)- ITV4

27 June: Uruguay v Spain (01:00)- ITV

27 June: Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia (01:00)- ITV4

27 June: New Zealand v Belgium (04:00)- BBC One

27 June: Egypt v Iran (04:00)- BBC Two

27 June: Panama v England (22:00)- ITV

27 June: Croatia v Ghana (22:00)- ITV4

28 June: Colombia v Portugal (00:30)- BBC One

28 June: DR Congo v Uzbekistan (00:30)- BBC Two

28 June: Jordan v Argentina (03:00)- BBC One

28 June: Algeria v Austria (03:00)- BBC Two

Are these kick off times or show start times?

KO times

1 minute ago, Steve201 said:

Are these kick off times or show start times?

Kick off times

Mexico isn't completely good either...

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/10/mexico-city-world-cup-teachers-strike-protest

Can definitely understand their situation. Indonesian teachers have always been getting the lowest wages ever since we labelled them as unsung heroes every November 25th.

Yeah, I'm not watching both the opening & halftime.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/10/haiti-world-cup-jerseys-change-fifa-saeta-imagery

This is probably the World Cup with the least amount of hype of all time. Today is the day that it starts but it doesn't feel like the World Cup fever is generally there, I'm personally looking forward though to what happens on the pitch and in the stands at the stadiums as that is what the World Cup is mainly about imo.

I think this will be the easiest World Cup to avoid for people who don't like football, especially in the age of on demand content so hopefully it shouldn't be too unbearable for them.

Doesn't help that where I am (and I'm sure many people are) it's pouring with rain today and the temperature is less than what it was on day 1 of the Qatar "Winter" World Cup!