World Cup 2026: Group phase on TV
©IMAGO
The most important answer first: A large part of the group games for the 2026 World Cup have already been scheduled for free TV, but not the entire group phase. According to the current status, the appointments of the 1st and 2nd group match days largely specifically assigned. On 3rd matchday However, there are still games for which the free TV allocation has not yet been finalized in all cases. Transfermarkt provides a comprehensive overview.
The situation is particularly clear for Germany: All three DFB team group games are on free TV: Against Curacao on June 14, 2026 at 7:00 p.magainst which Ivory Coast on June 20, 2026 at 10:00 p.m and against Ecuador on June 25, 2026 at 10:00 p.m.
Will the entire group phase of the 2026 World Cup be on free TV?
No. The group phase includes the entire 2026 World Cup 72 gamesbecause for the first time 48 teams in twelve groups compete. At the same time, ARD and ZDF only show the entire tournament together 60 of the 104 gameswhile MagentaTV broadcasts all games and 44 encounters exclusively shows. From this it follows: Not all group games can be shown on free TV.
Which group games of the 2026 World Cup are already verified on free TV?
The following World Cup games from Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D, Group E, Group F, Group G, Group H, Group I, Group J, Group K and Group L will be shown on free TV:
1st match day
– June 11th, 9 p.m.: Mexico – South Africa (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 12, 9 p.m.: Canada – Bosnia-Herzegovina (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 13th, 9 p.m.: Qatar – Switzerland (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 14th, 12am: Brazil – Morocco (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 14th, 3 a.m.: Haiti – Scotland (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 14th, 7 p.m.: Germany – Curaçao (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 15, 1 a.m.: Ivory Coast – Ecuador (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 15th, 6 p.m.: Spain – Cape Verde (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 15, 9 p.m.: Belgium – Egypt (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 16, midnight: Saudi Arabia – Uruguay (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 16, 3 a.m.: Iran – New Zealand (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 17th, 3 a.m.: Argentina – Algeria (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 17th, 6 a.m.: Austria – Jordan (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 17th, 7 p.m.: Portugal – DR Congo (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 17th, 10 p.m.: England – Croatia (MagentaTV and ZDF)
It is already clear which channels the games from the first two group match days at the 2026 World Cup will be shown on. The exact division of the remaining World Cup games in the group phase will take place before the third match day. On the third match day of the World Cup preliminary round, MagentaTV offers a conference call for each group for the games running at the same time.
2nd match day
– June 18th, 6 p.m.: Czech Republic – South Africa (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 19, 12 a.m.: Canada – Qatar (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 19th, 9 p.m.: USA – Australia (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 20, 2:30 a.m.: Brazil – Haiti (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 20th, 7 p.m.: Netherlands – Sweden (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 20th, 10 p.m.: Germany – Ivory Coast (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 21st, 2 a.m.: Ecuador – Curacao (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 21st, 9 p.m.: Belgium – Iran (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 22nd, 12 a.m.: Uruguay – Cape Verde (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 22nd, 7 p.m.: Argentina – Austria (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 22nd, 11 p.m.: France – Iraq (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 23rd, 5 a.m.: Jordan – Algeria (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 23rd, 7 p.m.: Portugal – Uzbekistan (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 23rd, 10 p.m.: England – Ghana (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 24th, 4 a.m.: Colombia – DR Congo (MagentaTV and ARD)
On the third matchday of the World Cup preliminary round, all four nations in the groups play in parallel in order to prevent distortion of competition.
3rd matchday
– June 24th, 9 p.m.: Switzerland – Canada (MagentaTV + possibly ARD)
– June 24th, 9 p.m.: Bosnia-Herzegovina – Qatar (MagentaTV + possibly ARD)
– June 25th, 12am: Morocco – Haiti (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 25th, 10 p.m.: Ecuador – Germany (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 26th, 1 a.m.: Tunisia – Netherlands (MagentaTV + possibly ARD)
– June 26th, 1 a.m.: Japan – Sweden (MagentaTV + possibly ARD)
– June 26th, 4 a.m.: Paraguay – Australia (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 26th, 9 p.m.: Norway – France (MagentaTV + possibly ZDF)
– June 26th, 9 p.m.: Senegal – Iraq (MagentaTV + possibly ZDF)
– June 27th, 2 a.m.: Cape Verde – Saudi Arabia (MagentaTV + possibly ARD)
– June 27th, 2 a.m.: Uruguay – Spain (MagentaTV + possibly ARD)
– June 27th, 11 p.m.: Croatia – Ghana (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 28th, 1:30 a.m.: Colombia – Portugal (MagentaTV + possibly ZDF)
– June 28th, 1:30 a.m.: DR Congo – Uzbekistan (MagentaTV + possibly ZDF)
– June 28th, 4 a.m.: Algeria – Austria (MagentaTV + possibly ZDF)
– June 28th, 4 a.m.: Jordan – Argentina (MagentaTV + possibly ZDF)
Germany games on free TV: These three group games are safe
– June 14th, 7 p.m.: Germany – Curacao (MagentaTV and ARD)
– June 20th, 10 p.m.: Germany – Ivory Coast (MagentaTV and ZDF)
– June 25, 10 p.m.: Ecuador – Germany (MagentaTV and ARD)
Which group games are definitely not on free TV?
secure only on MagentaTV The following World Cup games are running in the group phase: South Korea – Czech Republic, USA – Paraguay, Australia – Turkey, Netherlands – Japan, Sweden – Tunisia, France – Senegal, Iraq – Norway, Ghana – Panama, Uzbekistan – Colombia, Switzerland – Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mexico – South Korea, Scotland – Morocco, Turkey – Paraguay, Tunisia – Japan, Spain – Saudi Arabia, New Zealand – Egypt, Norway – Senegal, Panama – Croatia, Scotland – Brazil and Türkiye – USA.
Conclusion: Which group games are shown by ARD and ZDF?
ARD and ZDF are showing many group games from the 2026 World Cup on free TV, but not the entire group phase. Among other things, these have already been clearly verified three Germany games on free TV as well as numerous other pairings on the 1st and 2nd group match days. At the same time, several group games are officially announced MagentaTV exclusive games firmly. In part of the 3. Matchdays According to the current status, the station assignment is not yet final in all cases. Who really all group games live wants to see, therefore needs MagentaTV.
