With the 2026 World Cup only days away, national teams are using Sunday’s international friendlies to fine-tune lineups and build momentum before the tournament begins. The most notable match of the day is Morocco against Norway in Harrison, New Jersey, one of the few warm-up games featuring two teams preparing for the World Cup. Another World Cup-bound matchup takes place in San Diego, where Colombia meets Jordan. Ecuador is also in action Sunday, facing Guatemala in Columbus, Ohio, while Croatia takes on Slovenia as part of a busy slate of men’s international friendlies across multiple cities and time zones.
The friendlies come at a pivotal moment in the final stretch before the 2026 World Cup opens on June 11 in Mexico City. Co-host Mexico will start the tournament against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca, a matchup that also recalls the 2010 World Cup opener in Johannesburg. The United States begins its campaign on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles against Paraguay, and Canada opens play on June 13 in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, capping a tournament spread across North America.
Sunday’s schedule also includes several other international friendlies that may not involve World Cup teams but still offer important preparation and competitive rhythm. Kenya faces Lesotho, Liechtenstein plays Cyprus, Denmark meets Ukraine, Kosovo takes on Andorra, and Greece battles Italy. These matches provide coaches with one last chance to test tactics, player combinations, and fitness levels before the world’s biggest soccer tournament gets underway.
For Morocco, Norway, Colombia, Jordan, Ecuador, Guatemala, Croatia, and Slovenia, the day’s matches offer a final opportunity to assess readiness under match conditions. With squads nearly finalized and kickoff approaching, every minute on the field matters as teams look to sharpen their form, avoid injuries, and make key selection decisions.
As anticipation grows for the expanded 2026 World Cup, Sunday’s friendlies serve as a preview of the intensity and global reach that will define the tournament. Fans can track the action through the full schedule of men’s international friendlies, with the most attention likely centered on the World Cup participants taking the field just before the competition begins.
