The FIFA World Cup 2026 runs from June 11 to July 19, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States across 16 cities. All 104 matches on this page are converted to Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2), the offset Serbia uses during the tournament window.

Match-day rhythms place most fixtures in evening and overnight Serbian windows. Matches in Mexico City and on the US Eastern Time coast (Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami) and in Toronto typically kick off between 18:00 and 03:00 CEST. US Central Time hosts (Dallas, Houston, Kansas City) push starts to 19:00 to 04:00 CEST. US Pacific Time hosts (Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver) put marquee evening matches as late as 21:00 to 06:00 CEST.

Serbia did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 despite recent appearances at Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022. Despite the absence of a Serbian team, football audiences in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, and the large Serbian diaspora in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Australia follow the tournament closely through RTS and Arena Sport. Group L sees neighbour Croatia in action, plus Group B has Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing strong regional Balkan football viewing across the entire group stage.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 runs June 11 to July 19, 2026. All 104 matches converted to Srbija local time (CEST, UTC+02:00). Opening match is Mexico vs South Africa on Thu Jun 11 at 9:00 PM CEST. Final is Sun Jul 19 at 9:00 PM CEST.

Frequently asked questions

Is Serbia playing in the FIFA World Cup 2026?

No. Serbia did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026, eliminated at the UEFA qualifying stage. Serbia previously appeared at Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 as an independent nation, with prior tournament history as Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro. Serbian fans typically follow other UEFA teams plus regional rivals Croatia (Group L) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B) during the tournament.

What time will World Cup 2026 matches be on in Serbia?

Most matches will air between 18:00 CEST and 06:00 CEST. Mexico City and US Eastern Time matches air between 18:00 and 04:00 CEST. US Pacific Time matches air from 21:00 to 06:00 CEST. The opening match (Mexico vs South Africa) kicks off at 21:00 CEST on June 11; the Final is 21:00 CEST on Sunday, July 19.

Where can I watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Serbia?

Broadcast rights for Serbia during major FIFA tournaments have historically been held by RTS (state broadcaster, free-to-air for marquee matches) and Arena Sport (cable/streaming). Confirmation of the 2026 broadcaster mix depends on FIFA rights cycles. The Football Association of Serbia (FSS) typically announces official viewing details closer to the tournament.

Are kick-off times the same in Croatia and Slovenia?

Yes. Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo all observe Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) during the tournament. All kick-off times on this page apply without conversion to Zagreb, Ljubljana, Sarajevo, Skopje, Podgorica, Tirana, and Pristina. Croatia and Bosnia have teams in the tournament (Groups L and B respectively), so cross-Balkan viewing aligns naturally.