2026 World Cup, Germany vs. Curaçao: When and where to watch on TV, kickoff time in Germany, the stadium in Houston, and the projected lineups

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 ·  June 13, 2026

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A World Cup could hardly get off to a gentler start, at least on paper. Germany kicks off the 2026 World Cup against Curaçao—the smallest nation by population ever to reach the final tournament—in the Group E opener in Houston. Nagelsmann’s four-time World Cup champions are coming in with a desire for redemption after their early exits in 2018 and 2022; for the Caribbean island with fewer than 160,000 residents, simply participating is already a historic achievement.

Both teams arrive on the strength of their qualifying performances, not with a tournament record—it’s the first matchday. Germany won its qualifying group with five wins in six games and a final 6–0 victory over Slovakia. Curaçao, once again led by 78-year-old Dick Advocaat—who will become the oldest coach in World Cup history—qualified undefeated. The two nations have never faced each other before.

Germany’s preparations did not go smoothly: youngster Lennart Karl was ruled out due to injury and replaced by Assan Ouédraogo, and Marc-André ter Stegen is also out with an injury. Manuel Neuer, who came out of retirement at age 40, recovered from his calf issues in time. Curaçao, on the other hand, has a fully fit squad—Eloy Room, Leandro Bacuna, and Gervane Kastaneer are ready to go, and there are no suspensions.

Date, kickoff time, and TV and streaming coverage

Kickoff is on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. CEST —prime time in Germany. German viewers are well taken care of. As a Germany match, the game will air on free-to-air TV on ARD or ZDF, as well as via livestream on their apps and websites. Telekom’s MagentaTV will broadcast all 104 tournament matches live and in UHD. If you want to watch every Group E match, MagentaTV is your best bet.

The stadium: NRG Stadium, Houston

The match will be played at NRG Stadium—renamed “Houston Stadium” for the tournament—an arena with a retractable roof that seats around 72,000 spectators, otherwise home to the NFL’s Houston Texans. The closed roof and air conditioning provide welcome protection from the summer heat and give the German national team a well-maintained, nearly perfect field.

Expected lineups

Germany (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, Tah, Rüdiger, Raum; Goretzka, Pavlović; Sané, Wirtz, Musiala; Havertz.

Curaçao (4-2-3-1): Room; Brenet, Gaari, Sambo, Floranus; L. Bacuna, J. Bacuna; Gorre, Roemeratoe, Kastaneer; Margaritha.

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