Germany begins World Cup 2026 campaign against debutants Curaçao in Houston
The four-time champions open their Group E campaign on 14 June at 19:00 CEST against the Caribbean minnows, with Manuel Neuer returning in goal after a two-year hiatus.
The match
Germany enters the 2026 World Cup as a perennial contender but burdened by the memory of group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022. Their first hurdle is Curaçao, a nation of 150,000 inhabitants making its tournament debut and the smallest ever to qualify for a men's World Cup. Kick-off at the NRG Stadium in Houston is set for 19:00 CEST (12:00 local time), with temperatures between 31 and 34 degrees Celsius, mitigated by a retractable roof and air conditioning. The fixture marks the first senior meeting between the two sides.
If you win the first game, it doesn't guarantee World Cup success, but at least there's a certain calm when you start well and everyone is in good spirits during such a long tournament.
Key personnel
Julian Nagelsmann has called up veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for his first international since retiring after Euro 2024. Neuer had been managing a calf issue during pre-tournament friendlies but is expected to start. The squad lost Bayern's teenage talent Lennart Karl to injury shortly before the tournament; he was replaced by Leipzig's Assan Ouédraogo. Captain Joshua Kimmich anchors a side that has won its last nine matches across all competitions. Curaçao, coached by Dutchman Dick Advocaat, is led by PSV Eindhoven centre-back Armando Obispo and reached the finals without a single qualifying defeat.
Group E outlook
Alongside Curaçao, Germany will face Ivory Coast on 20 June in Toronto and Ecuador on 25 June in New Jersey, both at 22:00 CEST. Ecuador's defence (five goals conceded in 18 qualifiers) features Champions League finalists Willian Pacho (Paris Saint-Germain) and Piero Hincapié (Arsenal). Ivory Coast's attack is spearheaded by RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande. The expanded 48-team format means third place may be enough to progress, but Germany is targeting top spot to avoid a tricky last-16 path.
Today's other matches
The day's slate also includes the Netherlands taking on Japan at 22:00 CEST in Dallas. Netherlands is missing Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber through injury, while Japan will be without captain Wataru Endo. Sweden, led by former Chelsea boss Graham Potter, then face Tunisia at 04:00 CEST in Guadalupe, Mexico, with Arsenal's Viktor Gyökeres and Liverpool's Alexander Isak in attack.
- Germany vs Curacao (Houston)
- Netherlands vs Japan (Dallas)
- Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (Philadelphia)
- Sweden vs Tunisia (Guadalupe, Mexico)
Broadcast and fan experience
ARD and MagentaTV will carry the Germany-Curaçao match live in Germany, with coverage starting at 18:00 CEST and commentary by Tom Bartels. Public broadcasters ARD and ZDF hold sublicences for 60 of the tournament's 104 matches, including all Germany games and the final, as mandated by Germany's media treaty. For European viewers, kick-off times are more forgiving than at previous tournaments, with Germany's group-stage matches all at 19:00 or 22:00 CEST, although midday heat in Houston remains a physical factor for the players.
