Mexico TV Schedule World Cup 2026: TV Azteca, ViX, Televisa

Who is Broadcasting the World Cup 2026 in Mexico?

Two broadcasters hold the rights in Mexico, and the split between them decides what you can watch for free:

• TelevisaUnivisión — holds all 104 matches. 32 air free on its open channels (Canal 5, Las Estrellas, Nu9ve / El Nueve); the other 72 air on its pay channel TUDN; and the full 104-match slate streams on ViX.
• TV Azteca — holds 32 matches free-to-air on Azteca 7, plus the Azteca Deportes app and website for free streaming.

Both free packages run to 32 matches each and overlap heavily on the biggest fixtures, so the real free total stays at 32 of the 104. Everything else lives on ViX (streaming) or TUDN (cable). What matters most to a Mexican fan is the one constant in all of this: every El Tri match is free on both broadcasters.

Which Matches Are Free on Open TV in Mexico?

32 of the 104 matches air free on televisión abierta. TV Azteca confirmed its 32-match free slate on Azteca 7, and Televisa carries its own 32-match package across Canal 5, Las Estrellas and Nu9ve. The free coverage includes:

• All three Mexico group matches — vs South Africa (Jun 11), vs South Korea (Jun 18), vs Czechia (Jun 24).
• Marquee group fixtures — among them Brazil vs Morocco, Argentina vs Algeria, England vs Croatia, Norway vs Senegal, Uruguay vs Spain and Colombia vs Portugal.
• Knockout rounds on TV Azteca — four Round of 16 ties, four quarter-finals, both semi-finals, and the final on July 19.

The open-TV pick shifts from window to window. When two matches clash, each broadcaster only puts one on its free channel, so it pays to check the Azteca 7 and Televisa listings the day before. For the group context behind Mexico's free fixtures, see our Group A preview.

How to Watch All 104 Matches (ViX and TUDN)?

Thirty-two free matches won't be enough for everyone. If you follow a nation whose group games missed the open-TV cut, there are two paid ways to reach the full slate:

• ViX (streaming, all 104 matches): the only place to watch the complete tournament, and it isn't free. The Pase Mundial 2026 runs $799 MXN on top of a monthly ViX Premium subscription, or you can take the annual plan at $1,499 MXN, which folds in all 104 matches plus ViX Premium content for the year. The free-Mundial promo ViX ran earlier has since ended.
• TUDN (pay TV, the 72 non-open matches): the matches not chosen for open TV air on TUDN. It is a pay channel — confirm your provider (izzi, Megacable, Sky, Dish, Totalplay and others) includes TUDN in your package before kickoff.

Of the two, ViX is the simpler choice if you don't already pay for cable, since it needs nothing but the subscription. TUDN only saves you money when your provider already bundles it, so check that before you count on it.

What Time Does Mexico Play? (Local Kickoff Times)

Here are Mexico's three group-stage matches in local Mexico City time. The country runs on UTC-6 all year (it scrapped daylight-saving back in 2022), so these times don't drift against the international schedule:

• Mexico vs South Africa — Thursday June 11, 13:00 local (the opener) at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City. Opening ceremony from 11:30 local.
• Mexico vs South Korea — Thursday June 18, 19:00 local at Estadio Akron, Guadalajara.
• Mexico vs Czechia — Wednesday June 24, 19:00 local, back at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City.

All three are free-to-air on Azteca 7 and on Televisa, and they stream on ViX. The Azteca, which FIFA calls "Mexico City Stadium" for the tournament, hosts two of Mexico's three group games. For the tactical picture see our Mexico tactical preview and the full Mexico team guide.

Where to Watch Mexico vs South Africa (the Opener)?

The tournament opens with Mexico vs South Africa on Thursday June 11 at 13:00 local time at Estadio Azteca. The TV menu in Mexico:

• TV Azteca (free): Azteca 7 on open TV, plus the free Azteca Deportes app and website stream.
• Televisa (free): Canal 5 / Las Estrellas on open TV.
• ViX (paid): part of the full 104-match streaming slate.

It is the busiest broadcast window of the entire first day, with the opening ceremony from 11:30 local. For the full build-up, read our opening-match guide and our Mexico vs South Africa prediction. If you are in Mexico City for it, our opening-weekend fan guide covers the Zócalo Fan Festival and where to watch in the city.

Free vs Paid: Which Option is Right for You?

It really comes down to one question: do you need every match, or just the ones you actually care about?

• Free open TV covers most fans completely. Azteca 7 and Televisa's open channels carry all three Mexico games, the opener, the final and the bulk of the marquee fixtures: 32 matches without paying a peso, plus TV Azteca's free Azteca Deportes stream.
• ViX is what you add on top if you want the full 104, either through the Pase Mundial 2026 ($799 MXN on a monthly plan) or the $1,499 MXN annual plan.
• TUDN on cable already handles the 72 non-open matches, as long as your izzi, Megacable, Sky, Dish or Totalplay package carries the channel.

For the casual fan, free open TV is genuinely all you need. The paid route is really for the completists and for anyone following a non-Mexico nation that didn't make the open-TV cut. Watching from the United States instead? The setup over there is nothing alike, with different networks (Fox, Telemundo, Peacock) and different prices, all of it in our USA TV schedule guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

For more on the World Cup 2026 in Mexico, see our opening match guide, Mexico tactical preview, Mexico City opening-weekend fan guide, and the full Mexico team guide.