France vs Senegal kicks off at 3:00 PM EDT (UTC-4) on June 16, 2026 at MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey. This is the Group I opener at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Kickoff times around the world
| City | Local time |
|---|---|
| New York (EDT) | 3:00 PM |
| Sao Paulo (BRT) | 4:00 PM |
| London (BST) | 8:00 PM |
| Paris (CEST) | 9:00 PM |
| Dubai (GST) | 11:00 PM |
| Mumbai (IST) | 12:30 AM +1 |
| Tokyo (JST) | 4:00 AM +1 |
| Sydney (AEST) | 5:00 AM +1 |
Who gets a comfortable window?
MetLife Stadium gets a solid 3:00 PM EDT Tuesday afternoon slot for what is one of the most culturally charged fixtures of the group stage. Paris and Lyon at 9:00 PM CEST is ideal Tuesday evening viewing for the reigning World Cup holders. Dakar, Senegal (UTC+0 in summer) watches at 7:00 PM GMT, a perfect West African evening slot. The strong West African diaspora community in New York and Paris both benefit from accessible local timeslots. London at 8:00 PM BST is equally comfortable. Dubai at 11:00 PM GST is late. Mumbai crosses midnight IST.
Historical context
France and Senegal met at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, with an extraordinary result: Senegal beat France 1-0 in the group stage, one of the tournament’s greatest upsets. That match kicked off at 10:30 AM Seoul local time (04:30 Paris time), meaning the French public heard the result on the morning news rather than watching live. In 2026, the 9:00 PM Paris window ensures there will be no such distance from the action.
Check current time in Paris at whatisthetime.now/paris and in Dakar at whatisthetime.now/dakar.
For match preview and analysis, see whensport.com
- What time does France vs Senegal kick off?
- Kickoff is at 3:00 PM local time (America/New_York) at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey on 2026-06-16.
- Where is France vs Senegal being played?
- MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey. Capacity: 82,500.
- What group is France vs Senegal in?
- This is a Group I match in the FIFA World Cup 2026.