The 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially set South Florida ablaze with soccer fever after a historic performance last night. Lionel Messi took center stage and left a massive mark on tournament history, but the global party is just getting started.
Four massive group-stage matches kick off today, Wednesday, June 17, featuring the highly anticipated tournament returns of Cristiano Ronaldo and Colombia's captain, James Rodríguez.
Inter Miami’s own Lionel Messi put on a clinic last night, netting a stunning hat trick to power Argentina to a dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria.
The spectacular performance marks Messi's first-ever World Cup hat trick, tying the all-time tournament scoring record and triggering massive celebrations across local Miami fan zones.
Today's World Cup Match Schedule
The star-studded momentum carries directly into today's action. Here is the full lineup and where you can stream or watch every match live in Eastern Time (ET):
Time (ET)MatchGroupBroadcast & Streaming
1:00 PM
Portugal vs. DR Congo
Group K
FOX, Telemundo, Peacock
4:00 PM
England vs. Croatia
Group L
FOX, Telemundo, Peacock
7:00 PM
Ghana vs. Panama
Group L
FS1, Telemundo, Peacock
10:00 PM
Uzbekistan vs. Colombia
Group K
FS1, Telemundo, Peacock
1:00 PM ET — Ronaldo’s Return
Cristiano Ronaldo begins his group-stage campaign with Portugal early this afternoon. Local sports bars from Fort Lauderdale to Brickell are preparing for packed daytime crowds eager to watch the legendary forward make his 2026 tournament debut.
10:00 PM ET — Colombia's Late-Night Takeover
South Florida's massive Colombian community is ready to paint the town yellow, blue, and red tonight. James Rodríguez leads Los Cafeteros into their highly anticipated opening match against Uzbekistan. Expect absolute electricity at local watch parties from Kendall to Doral as the late-night match closes out an incredible day of world-class soccer.