Southern California will provide the stage for five group stage matches, including two featuring the United States, and three high-stakes knockout round games in the 2026 World Cup.

Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium, referred to as the Los Angeles Stadium during the tournament, is one of 16 North American venues that will host the international soccer tournament.

The group stage matches, including a finale that could decide the United States‘ fate in Group D, include the co-hosts, European power Belgium, Paraguay, Iran, New Zealand, Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Türkiye.

The four-team groups will battle for a spot in the knockout stage, set to begin June 28.

Here’s what to know about the matches at the Los Angeles Stadium, which will also host part of the tournament’s opening ceremonies.

Apple TV MLS analyst Taylor Twellman breaks down the USMNT’s path through Group D at the FIFA World Cup and what success should realistically look like on home soil.

World Cup group stage schedule in Los Angeles

The United States, 17th in the latest FIFA World Rankings, opens the tournament Friday at the Los Angeles Stadium. The U.S. also faces Türkiye June 25 in Inglewood.

Below, the full schedule in Inglewood. All times are California time.

June 12: USA v. Paraguay, 6 p.m.: The United States opens the tournament against Paraguay, which slots in at 40th in the latest FIFA rankings. The South American squad returns to the World Cup for the first time since making the quarterfinals in 2010. The two teams last met in November, a 2-1 victory for the United States. They join Australia and Türkiye in Group D.

June 15: Iran v. New Zealand, 6 p.m.: Iran, 20th in the world rankings, and New Zealand square off in their Group G openers. Iran lost one game their 16-match qualifying run. New Zealand was unbeaten, scoring 29 goals and conceding one in five qualifying matches. Their route to the knockout stage also goes through Belgium and Egypt.

Iran’s national soccer team arrived in Tijuana, Mexico, for training ahead of the FIFA World Cup. This video was broadcast on Today in LA on Sunday, June 7, 2026.

June 18: Switzerland v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 12 p.m.: Switzerland has been on the brink of late-round success at the World Cup, having made the knockout phase three straight times. Bosnia and Herzegovina has one World Cup appearance, bowing out in the group stage in 2014. Host Canada and 2022 host Qatar round out Group B.

June 21: Belgium v. Iran, 12 p.m.: The clash could go a long way in deciding Group G. Belgium, ranked ninth in the world, has been a consistent international powerhouse over the last decade, finishing an all-time best third at the 2018 World Cup. Transitioning from a squad of veteran stars to a newer generation, they’ll take on Iran, which has never advanced from the knockout round.

June 25: USA v. Türkiye, 7 p.m.: Türkiye’s grueling road to the World Cup required qualification through the European playoffs, but the world’s 22nd ranked squad could be in the running for a knockout round appearance by the time they face the United States in this Group D finale. Türkiye’s best World Cup showing was third in 2002.

World Cup knockout round games in Los Angeles

The group stage lasts until June 27, then the top two teams in each group along with the eight best third-place finishers will advance to the Round of 32 beginning on June 28.

The remaining winning teams will then play in the Round of 16 starting on July 4. The quarterfinals will be on July 9, and the semifinals will be July 14 and July 15, leading up to the championship match at MetLife Stadium on July 19.

June 28: Round of 32 match, 12 p.m.

July 2: Round of 32 match, 12 p.m.

July 10: Quarterfinal, 12 p.m.

The World Cup begins on Thursday with Mexico playing the opener in Mexico City and co-hosts USA and Canada hosting their openers in Los Angeles and Toronto a day later.

Venues and kick-off times for all 104 matches in the 48-team field were announced in December before the revealing of which teams will be in the tournament’s unprecedented 12 groups of four.

Other U.S. host cities are Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle and the Bay Area.

Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey are Mexico’s host cities. Toronto and Vancouver will host matches in Canada.