Argentina wraps FIFA World Cup preparations in June

Argentina will wrap up their World Cup preparations in June with friendly matches against Honduras and Iceland in the United States, the Argentine football federation said on Thursday.

World champions Argentina will face Honduras on June 6 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, before taking on Iceland three days later at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama.

In the World Cup, which begins on June 11 and will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, Argentina will be in Group J alongside Austria, Algeria, and Jordan.

The tournament will kick off with a record 104 matches scheduled across an expanded format featuring 12 groups of four teams each. 

The action officially begins when Mexico open the tournament against South Africa at Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca.

The group stage will run until June 27, followed by the knockout rounds, culminating in the final on July 19, 2026.

Defending champions Argentina will begin their title defence on June 16, 2026, when they face Algeria in their opening Group J fixture in Kansas City.

The tournament, co-hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, will be the first 48-team World Cup, offering a historic showcase of global football talent.

The 2026 World Cup groups

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czechia

Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, Qatar

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti

Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye

Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Sweden

Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand

Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia

Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Republic of the Congo

Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana

It is pertinent to mention that the World Cup schedule has been fully revealed, featuring 104 matches from the group stages through to the final.