Kickoff times are Eastern. Channels, times, and team news confirmed the morning of June 18, 2026.
Day 7 brought the last of the big names into the tournament, and it did not go to plan for all of them. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Portugal opened with a stumble, held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo after João Neves scored early and Yoane Wissa equalized right before halftime. England had no such trouble, beating Croatia 4-2 behind a Harry Kane brace, with Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford also on the scoresheet. In the other two openers, Colombia got past Uzbekistan 3-1 and Ghana edged Panama 1-0 on a stoppage-time winner.
Today belongs to the hosts again, and the day builds toward a primetime Group A showdown. Mexico and South Korea both won their openers, so tonight’s winner takes control of the group, while earlier, Canada chases its first ever World Cup win. If you are still learning who is who, the 12 players to watch is your cheat sheet for the names that matter. The good news for cord-cutters is that three of today’s four games are on big FOX.
12 p.m. ET: Czechia vs. South Africa, FOX
The day opens in Atlanta with two teams that cannot afford a second slip. Czechia led South Korea at the hour mark on Day 1 and still lost 2-1, while South Africa went down 2-0 to Mexico in a chaotic opener that left it down to nine men. Both sit on zero points, and the loser here will be close to elimination with a match to spare. Czechia will lean on Patrik Schick and Pavel Šulc to find the cutting edge that went missing in the opener.
How to watch: FOX, free over the air with an antenna. Telemundo and Universo carry it in Spanish.
3 p.m. ET: Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, FOX
Over at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, two teams that drew their openers meet in a wide-open Group B where all four teams sit on a single point. Bosnia is at its first World Cup since 2014, it knocked Italy out in the playoffs to get here, and at 40, Edin Džeko is still the man its attack runs through. Switzerland is the steadier side on paper, and either side could grab the group’s first win.
How to watch: FOX, free over the air. Telemundo and Universo in Spanish.
6 p.m. ET: Canada vs. Qatar, FS1
This is the one with real history on the line. Canada lost all six World Cup matches it ever played before this tournament, then drew Bosnia 1-1 in its opener for its first ever World Cup point. Now, in Vancouver, in front of a home crowd at BC Place, the first win is right there for the taking. Qatar is beatable too, having drawn with Switzerland in its opener.
The subplot to watch is Alphonso Davies. Canada’s best player was held out of the opener with a hamstring problem, and coach Jesse Marsch, an American, has been hoping to get him back later in the group. Check the team sheet about an hour before kickoff to see whether Davies is ready. Jonathan David leads the line either way as the main goal threat.
How to watch: FS1, which makes it the one game today you cannot get with an antenna alone. You will need FOX One, a live-TV service like YouTube TV, or a cable login. Telemundo and Universo have it in Spanish, free over the air.
9 p.m. ET: Mexico vs. South Korea, FOX
The headliner closes the night from Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, and it is effectively a Group A final, a round early. Both teams won their openers, so the winner here takes the driver’s seat in Group A and all but books a place in the Round of 32. For the host nation, at home in front of a full house, the pressure is the kind El Tri has carried before. Raúl Jiménez and Julián Quiñones got the goals in the 2-0 win over South Africa.
South Korea is no easy out. It is at its eleventh straight World Cup, a streak almost nobody else in the field can match, and it came from behind to beat Czechia 2-1 on Day 1. Son Heung-min is the name to know, the captain who makes South Korea tick, and how Mexico handles him will go a long way toward deciding the group. A draw suits the Koreans more than it suits the hosts.
How to watch: FOX in primetime, free over the air with an antenna. Telemundo and Universo carry it in Spanish.
The 30-second watch recap
- Spending nothing today: an antenna gets three of today’s four games free on FOX, the Atlanta opener, the Inglewood match, and the Mexico nightcap. The one gap is Canada vs. Qatar, which is on FS1. Telemundo and Universo carry all four in Spanish over the air, so the only game locked behind a login in English is the Canada match.
- Every match, cheapest: FOX One at $19.99 a month carries today’s four games and all 104, including the Canada match that an antenna misses.
- Zero hassle: if you already have YouTube TV or another live-TV service, all four are just there. Open the app at noon ET for the Atlanta opener.
Tomorrow the USMNT is back
Friday is loaded, led by the United States. The USMNT plays Australia at 3 p.m. on FOX from Seattle, its second match after that 4-1 win over Paraguay, and a win over an Australia side that just beat Türkiye would be a big step toward the Round of 32. Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun carry the home hopes. Scotland vs. Morocco follows at 6 p.m. on FOX. Then Brazil, held to a draw by Morocco in its opener and leaning on Vinícius Júnior for a first win, plays Haiti at 8:30 p.m. on FOX. The late game, Türkiye vs. Paraguay, is the only one on FS1, so like today, an antenna covers most of tomorrow.
Spain and Lamine Yamal are back Saturday, and the title favorites return early next week, led by Lionel Messi‘s Argentina, rolling after a hat-trick in the opener that tied the all-time World Cup goalscoring record.
For today, it is two hosts and a primetime Group A decider. Not a bad Thursday.
