FIFA World Cup 2026: Why Cricket-Mad India Is Glued to Football

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs June 11 to July 19 across the USA, Canada and Mexico — the first 48-team, three-host edition.

India did not qualify, yet 'fifa world cup games' is spiking in searches even in cricket-heavy feeds.

Opener is Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca on June 11; the final is July 19 at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey.

Zee shows matches on its new Unite8 Sports channels and streams every game on Zee5, both behind a paywall.

Most kickoffs land in late-night to early-morning IST, so plan your sleep around the big games.