🍺 UK Pub Guide

World Cup 2026 Pub Guide: Best Games Before 9pm UK

Group stage matches · 11–27 June 2026 · British Summer Time (BST)

Quick Answer

Around 25 group stage matches kick off between 5:00pm and 9:00pm BST — perfect for after-work pub viewing. Games start at 5pm, 6pm and 8pm BST on most days throughout the group stage. The prime slots are 8pm BST (3pm ET), which features big games including the opening match, France vs Senegal, Belgium vs Egypt, and both semi-finals. England's most pub-friendly fixture is Panama vs England at 10pm BST on Saturday 27 June.

25
Pub-friendly games
3
England games ≤10pm
8pm
Best BST slot

🍺 Complete Pub-Friendly Schedule

All group stage matches kicking off between 5:00pm and 9:00pm BST. ⭐ marks the standout games.

Week 1 — 11–15 June
DateBSTMatchGroup
Thu 11 Jun20:00🇲🇽 Mexico vs South Africa 🇿🇦A
Fri 12 Jun20:00🇨🇦 Canada vs UEFA Playoff AB
Sat 13 Jun20:00🇶🇦 Qatar vs Switzerland 🇨🇭B
Sun 14 Jun18:00🇩🇪 Germany vs Curaçao 🇨🇼E
Mon 15 Jun17:00🇪🇸 Spain vs Cape Verde 🇨🇻H
Mon 15 Jun20:00🇧🇪 Belgium vs Egypt 🇪🇬G
Week 2 — 16–22 June
DateBSTMatchGroup
Tue 16 Jun20:00🇫🇷 France vs Senegal 🇸🇳I
Wed 17 Jun18:00🇵🇹 Portugal vs IC Playoff 1K
Wed 17 Jun21:00🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England vs Croatia 🇭🇷L
Thu 18 Jun17:00UEFA PO D vs South Africa 🇿🇦A
Thu 18 Jun20:00🇨🇭 Switzerland vs UEFA PO AB
Fri 19 Jun20:00🇺🇸 USA vs Australia 🇦🇺D
Sat 20 Jun18:00🇳🇱 Netherlands vs UEFA PO BF
Sat 20 Jun21:00🇩🇪 Germany vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮E
Sun 21 Jun17:00🇪🇸 Spain vs Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦H
Sun 21 Jun20:00🇧🇪 Belgium vs Iran 🇮🇷G
Mon 22 Jun18:00🇦🇷 Argentina vs Austria 🇦🇹J
Week 3 — 23–27 June
DateBSTMatchGroup
Tue 23 Jun18:00🇵🇹 Portugal vs Uzbekistan 🇺🇿K
Tue 23 Jun21:00🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England vs Ghana 🇬🇭L
Wed 24 Jun20:00🇨🇭 Switzerland vs Canada 🇨🇦B
Wed 24 Jun20:00UEFA PO A vs Qatar 🇶🇦B
Thu 25 Jun21:00🇪🇨 Ecuador vs Germany 🇩🇪E
Thu 25 Jun21:00🇨🇼 Curaçao vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮E
Fri 26 Jun20:00🇳🇴 Norway vs France 🇫🇷I
Fri 26 Jun20:00🇸🇳 Senegal vs IC Playoff 2I
Sat 27 Jun22:00🇵🇦 Panama vs England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿L

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Yellow = England · ⭐ = standout games

🏆 Knockout Rounds — Prime Pub Times

Once the group stage ends, the knockout rounds get even better for UK pub viewing. Both semi-finals and the Final all kick off at exactly 8pm BST.

StageDateBST kick-off
Semi-final 1Tue 14 July20:00 BST ⭐
Semi-final 2Wed 15 July20:00 BST ⭐
Third-place play-offSat 18 July22:00 BST
🏆 World Cup FinalSun 19 July20:00 BST ⭐

Frequently Asked Questions

How many World Cup 2026 games are on before 9pm in the UK?

Around 25 group stage matches kick off between 5pm and 9pm BST during the group stage (11–27 June 2026). The most common friendly slots are 5pm BST (12pm ET), 6pm BST (1pm ET) and 8pm BST (3pm ET).

Is England's World Cup 2026 game on in pub hours?

All three of England's group games are in the pub window. England vs Croatia kicks off at 9pm BST on Wednesday 17 June. England vs Ghana is at 9pm BST on Tuesday 23 June. Panama vs England is at 10pm BST on Saturday 27 June — late but a Saturday, so ideal for a big pub night.

What is the best World Cup 2026 game to watch in the pub?

The single best pub game is France vs Senegal on Tuesday 16 June at 8pm BST — a huge Group I clash between two tournament heavyweights at a perfect pub kick-off time. England vs Croatia on Wednesday 17 June at 9pm BST is the standout England pub fixture.

What time is the World Cup 2026 Final in UK pub time?

The Final at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey kicks off at 8:00pm BST on Sunday 19 July 2026. A Sunday evening pub final — perfect.

Use the 🍺 Pub Filter on the App

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