The World Cup final is set to commence at 3 p.m. EDT on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. FIFA recently disclosed the start times for the tournament’s 104 matches, announced just a day after the draw for the expanded 48-nation tournament to be held across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
This timing allows for prime-time viewing in Europe, where it will be 9 p.m., and 8 p.m. in Britain.
MetLife Stadium is an open-air venue. Over the past 30 years, the average temperature around 3 p.m. in East Rutherford on this date is approximately 83 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius), with a RealFeel index of 89 (32 Celsius), according to AccuWeather.
Historically, nine out of the ten World Cup finals from 1978 to 2014 kicked off in the range of 2-3:30 p.m. EDT, the only exception being the 2002 match in Japan, which began at 7 a.m. EDT. Notably, the 2018 final started at 11 a.m. EDT, while the 2022 championship conducted during winter in Qatar began at 10 a.m. EST.
The 1994 final in Pasadena, California, kicked off at 12:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. EDT).
In a statement, chief tournament officer Manolo Zubiria remarked, “Let’s just say it’s been a long night — or a short night. We’ve aimed to strike a balance considering the preparation and recovery needs of teams across this vast tournament footprint.”
FIFPRO, the global players’ union, warned in June that afternoon matches in states including Kansas City and Miami Gardens had ‘extremely high risk’ of heat-related injuries.
For more comprehensive scheduling details across various stadiums and anticipated game conditions, fans are encouraged to stay updated through official FIFA announcements.
