Football frenzy is taking over the world as nations prepare to watch their home countries compete at the FIFA World Cup.
Scotland and England both qualified, with Wales and Northern Ireland missing out on the 2026 tournament.
Led by manager Steve Clarke, Scotland's participation marks the end of their 28-year absence from the World Cup.
England is returning to the tournament after making it to the quarter-finals at the 2022 World Cup, with manager Thomas Tuchel leading the 2026 team.
Ahead of kick-off, here's everything you need to know about the host countries and key dates.
What are the host countries for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being hosted across Canada, the USA and Mexico.
Matches in Canada will take place in Toronto and Vancouver.
Mexico has three host cities: Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey.
The USA has 11 host cities: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Key dates for the FIFA World Cup 2026
The 2026 World Cup will kick off on Thursday, June 11 with the first match being Mexico v South Africa in Mexico City at 8pm.
The group stage will last from June 11 until the 27, leading to the Round of 32 from June 28 to July 3.
The round of 16 will take place from July 4 to 7.
Quarter-finals will last from July 6 to 11, with the semi-finals from July 14 to 15.
The third-place play-off will take place on July 18.
Lastly, the FIFA World Cup 2026 final will take place on July 19.
What dates are England and Scotland playing at the World Cup 2026?
England and Scotland are in different groups during the tournament's first stage.
Scotland is playing in group C with England in group L.
Scotland's FIFA World Cup match dates
Scotland's group games are on the following dates:
- Haiti vs Scotland, kick-off 2am - Foxborough, USA
- Scotland vs Morocco, kick-off 11pm - Foxborough, USA
- Scotland vs Brazil, kick-off 11pm - Miami, USA
England's FIFA World Cup match dates
England's group games are on the following dates:
- England vs Croatia, kick-off 9pm - Arlington, USA
- England vs Ghana, kick-off 9pm - Foxborough, USA
- Panama vs England, kick-off 10pm - New Jersey, USA
Who are you backing at the World Cup? Let us know in the comments.
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