FIFA World Cup games start on Sunday Nov. 20, just after the opening ceremony. After with the kickoff match between Qatar and Ecuador, multiple games will be played every day until the end the group stage on Dec. 6. The even more momentous quarterfinals and semifinals will run on Dec. 9 and 10, and 13 and 14 respectively. Then come the third place game on Dec. 17, and the final on Dec. 18.
The famously complicated-until-you-finally-get-it scheduling logic works as follows: There are 32 teams, broken up into groups of four, called Group A, Group B, etc., all the way through Group H. Every possible matchup between members of each group is exhausted. And then, well, just read the rules yourself. There’s a series of eight games called the “Round of 16,” and the rest of the games are single-elimination until the final.
Fortunately, you don’t have to understand how advancement in the tournament works to tune in. Unfortunately, here in the U.S., live games will air pretty early, particularly for soccer fans on the west coast.
What is the Group stage schedule for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?
Nov. 20:
Group A: Qatar vs. Ecuador. 11:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (for free!) in Spanish.
Nov. 21:
Group B: Iran vs. England. 8:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (for free!) in Spanish.
Group A: Senegal vs. Netherlands. 11:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (for free!) in Spanish.
Group B: United States vs. Wales. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (for free!) in Spanish.
Nov. 22:
Group C: Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia. 5:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (for free!) in Spanish.
Group D: Tunisia vs. Denmark. 8:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (for free!) in Spanish.
Group C: Mexico vs. Poland. 11:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (for free!) in Spanish.
Group D: Australia vs. France. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (for free!) in Spanish.
Nov. 23
Group F: Croatia vs. Morocco. 5:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (for free!) in Spanish.
Group E: Germany vs. Japan. 8:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (for free!) in Spanish
Group E: Costa Rica vs. Spain. 11:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (for free!) in Spanish.
Group F: Belgium vs. Canada. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock (last free Peacock broadcast of the tournament).
Nov. 24
Group G: Cameroon vs. Switzerland. 5:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group H: Uruguay vs. South Korea. 8:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group H: Ghana vs. Portugal. 11:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group G: Brazil vs. Serbia. 2 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Nov. 25
Group B: Iran vs. Wales. 5:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group A: Qatar vs. Senegal. 8:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group A: Ecuador vs. Netherlands. 11:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group B: England vs. United States. 2 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Nov. 26
Group D: Tunisia vs. Australia. 5:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group C: Poland vs. Saudi Arabia. 8:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group D: France vs. Denmark. 11:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group C: Argentina vs. Mexico. 2 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Nov. 27
Group E: Japan vs. Costa Rica. 5:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group F: Belgium vs. Morocco. 8:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group F: Croatia vs. Canada. 11:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group E: Spain vs. Germany. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Nov. 28
Group G: Cameroon vs. Serbia. 5:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group H: South Korea vs. Ghana. 8 :00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group G: Brazil vs. Switzerland. 11:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group H: Portugal vs. Uruguay. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Nov. 29
Group A: Netherlands vs. Qatar. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Universo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group A: Ecuador vs. Senegal. 10 :00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group B: Iran vs. United States. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group B: Wales vs. England. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Universo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Nov. 30
Group D: Tunisia vs. France. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group D: Australia vs. Denmark. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Universo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group C: Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group C: Poland vs. Argentina. 200 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Universo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Dec. 1
Group F: Canada vs. Morocco. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Universo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group F: Croatia vs. Belgium. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group E: Costa Rica vs. Germany. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Universo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group E: Japan vs. Spain. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Dec. 2
Group H: South Korea vs. Portugal. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group H: Ghana vs. Uruguay. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Universo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group G: Cameroon vs. Brazil. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group G: Serbia vs. Switzerland. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox Sports 1 in English, or Universo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Dec. 3
Group A winner vs. Group B runner-up. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group C winner vs. Group D runner-up. 2:00 p.m.
Airing on ET. Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Dec. 4
Group D winner vs. Group C runner-up. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group B winner vs. Group A runner-up. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Dec. 5
Group E winner vs. Group F runner-up. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group G winner vs. Group H runner-up. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Dec. 6
Group F winner vs. Group E runner-up. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Group H winner vs. Group G runner-up. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
What is the quarterfinal schedule for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?
Dec. 9
Quarterfinal. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Quarterfinal. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Dec. 10
Quarterfinal. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Quarterfinal. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
What is the semifinal schedule for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?
Dec. 13
Semifinal. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
Dec. 14
Semifinal. 2:00 p.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
When is the third place match for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?
Dec. 17
Third place. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
When is the final match for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?
Dec. 18
Final. 10:00 a.m. ET.
Airing on Fox (terrestrial) in English, or Telemundo, Universo and streaming on Peacock in Spanish.
