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How to watch World Cup 2026 online – live stream every game for free, Germany & Netherlands back in action

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Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe - World Cup 2026
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The World Cup 2026 is here and you can watch World Cup 2026 live streams from anywhere with our soccer viewing guide. Get ready for a soccer spectacle like none that has come before.

This guide explains how you can watch World Cup 2026 live streams from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for FREE.

World Cup 2026 live streams: TV channels, dates

World Cup 2026 live streams run from June 11 to July 19. Full schedule below.
• FREE STREAMS — BBC iPlayer / ITVX (U.K.) | RTÉ Player (Ireland) | SBS On Demand (Australia)
• U.S. — Watch on FOX & FS1 via Sling, Fubo or YouTube TV
• Watch anywhere — Try Norton VPN 100% risk free

For the first time, 48 teams started a World Cup, all hoping to lift the famous trophy at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday, July 19. The trio of USA, Canada and Mexico will host the festival of football, with all three eager to go further in the tournament than they've ever managed before — all three have qualified for the knockouts (or virtually so, in Canada's case)

With more eyeballs likely to watch the tournament than ever before, the stage is set for the great Lionel Messi to help his Argentina to a second straight title. And while La Albiceleste will start among the favorites, they'll face stern competition from the likes of Kylian Mbappé's France, Lamine Yamal's Spain, Harry Kane's England, and Vinicius Junior's Brazil.

Here's how to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 — including free streaming options, a full list of fixtures and kick-off times, and a preview of today's games.

How to watch World Cup 2026 for FREE

Live coverage of every single World Cup 2026 game is carried by a selection of free-to-air streaming platforms around the world. They include:

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Country

Free Stream

U.K.

ITV or BBC

Australia

SBS On Demand

Belgium

RTBF / VRT

Netherlands

NOS

Ireland

RTÉ Player

Brazil

Caze TV

Turkey

TRT

Switzerland

SRF Play / RTS Play / RSI Play

Watch Anywhere

Norton VPN (100% risk free)

In some other regions, a selection of games are being shown for free (e.g. two on Tubi in the U.S. and 22 in New Zealand on TVNZ+).

All games will be shown on FOX and FS1 in the U.S. via free trials to OTT streaming platforms such as Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and Fox One.

Traveling abroad? You won't be able to watch the action on your domestic streamer like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution. Use Norton VPN to watch World Cup 2026 for free — we’ll explain more below.

Today's World Cup 2026 matches — Saturday, June 20

  • Netherlands vs Sweden (Group F): 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. BST
  • Germany vs Côte d’Ivoire (Group E): 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. BST
  • Ecuador vs Curaçao (Group E): 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT / 1 a.m. BST (Sun.)
  • Tunisia vs Japan (Group F): 12 a.m. ET (Sun.) / 9 p.m. PT / 5 a.m. BST (Sun.)

In Netherlands vs Sweden, two of the competition's heavyweights come face-to-face, with the Oranje really needing a win and the Swedes riding high after their thumping win over Tunisia last time out. Talking of big winning margins, four-time champs Germany will be eager to follow up their 7-1 win over Curaçao with another convincing victory against potential banana skins Côte d’Ivoire.

Watch World Cup 2026 from anywhere

Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the soccer on your usual subscription?

You can still watch World Cup 2026 live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software can make your devices appear to be back in your home country regardless of where you are, making it ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite for streaming is Norton VPN.

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Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, Norton VPN is a great option.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're away from the U.K. and want to view your usual service, you'd select a United Kingdom server from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to a service listed here (like BBC iPlayer or ITVX) that's showing World Cup games watch the soccer as if you were back at home.

How to watch World Cup 2026 in the U.S.

US flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Soccer fans in the U.S. can watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 across FOX (70 matches) and FS1 (34 matches) or the FOX website with a valid login.

If you've cut the cord and don't have access to FOX or FS1 on cable, you have plenty of OTT streaming options. Fubo, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV all carry both channels and new users can try all three with a free trial.

Sling TV is a more reasonably priced option. A subscription to Sling Select costs from only $19.99/month and carries both channels, but note that FOX is only available in selected cities.

Or there's FOX's own streaming platform — FOX One — with plans starting from just $19.99/month after a 3-day free trial.

Plus, the opening ceremony and two matches — Mexico vs South Africa and USMNT vs Paraguay — were shown for free through streamer Tubi.

Already subscribed to one of the above services but outside the U.S. right now? That's when a VPN like Norton VPN will help make sure you don't miss a minute of the World Cup. And you can read more in our dedicated guide explaining how to watch FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA.

How to watch World Cup 2026 for FREE in the U.K.

British flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

All games of the 2026 World Cup will be shared between the BBC and ITV in the U.K.

Every single one of the 104 matches will be free-to-air on TV (so long as you have a valid TV Licence) as well as online through the broadcasters' streaming platforms BBC iPlayer and ITVX.

Away from home? You can still catch all the action using a VPN, such as Norton VPN.

How to watch World Cup 2026 in Canada

Canada Flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

A selection of World Cup 2026 games will be shown for free on Canadian TV on CTV. To watch online, you can stream World Cup soccer via Crave — you'll need to either sign in with your TV provider details or have a Crave subscription.

TSN and RDS have comprehensive coverage of the tournament, showing every single game. If you don't have access on cable, you can stream via TSN+ with plans available for as little as CA$8/month to watch World Cup 2026 in Canada online.

Outside Canada during the tournament? Unlock your streams with Norton VPN.

How to watch World Cup 2026 in Australia

Australia flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being exclusively broadcast by the free-to-air SBS in Australia, meaning every game will also be streamed for FREE via the SBS On Demand streaming service and app.

If you're traveling overseas you can still watch all the 2026 World Cup on SBS On Demand via Norton VPN.

How to watch 2026 World Cup live streams in New Zealand

New Zealand flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

New Zealanders can catch 22 games from the 2026 World Cup for free on the TVNZ+ site and app. That includes all of the All Whites games along with one quarter-final, one semi-final and the final (all of which will also be shown on the free-to-air TVNZ 1 on TV).

To unlock the remainder of the games, you'll need a TVNZ+ Event Pass costing $44.95.

Remember. You can still tap into your World Cup stream when overseas by using one of the best VPN services, such as Norton VPN.

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Argentina and Bolivia ahead of the

(Image credit: LUIS ROBAYO/AFP via Getty Images)

World Cup fixtures, schedule & results 2026

Thursday, June 11
Mexico 2-0 South Africa (Group A)
South Korea Republic 2-1 Czechia (Group A)

Friday, June 12
Canada 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B)
USA 4-1 Paraguay (Group D)

World Cup tables 2026

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Group A
Row 0 - Cell 0

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal diff.

Points

Mexico

2

2

0

0

+3

6

South Korea

2

1

0

1

0

3

Czechia

2

0

1

1

-1

1

South Africa

2

0

1

1

-2

1

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Group B
Row 0 - Cell 0

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal diff.

Points

Canada

2

1

1

0

+6

4

Switzerland

2

1

1

0

+3

4

Bosnia & Herzegovina

2

0

1

1

-3

1

Qatar

2

0

1

1

-6

1

world cup 2026

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

World Cup 2026 — FAQ

How many countries are playing at World Cup 2026?

We have an expanded World Cup in 2026 with 48 countries participating. This includes the three host countries as well as some of the big favorites for the tournament, including France, Spain, England, Brazil, Argentina and Germany. Don't forget about the debutants either with Curacao, Cape Verde, Uzbekistan and Jordan making their maiden voyage to a World Cup.

How does the new World Cup format work?

The 48-team structure means that the participating countries are divided into 12 groups of four. The top two nations in each group go through to the round of 32, along with the eight best performing third place teams. From there, it's straight knockouts: round of 32, round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and final.

Who is hosting World Cup 2026?

We have joint hosts for the 2026 World Cup, with the USA, Canada, and Mexico sharing the tournament. It will be the first time the USA has hosted the World Cup since 1994 and the first time Mexico has hosted it since 1986. For Canada, this will be its first time hosting a FIFA World Cup.

Where are all the locations for the World Cup 2026?

A total of 104 matches will be played across three countries and 16 venues:

  • Atalanta Stadium (U.S.): 67,382
  • BC Place Vancouver (Canada): 48,821
  • Boston Stadium (U.S.): 63,815
  • Dallas Stadium (U.S.): 70,122
  • Guadalajara Stadium (Mexico): 44,330
  • Houston Stadium (U.S.): 68,311
  • Kansas City Stadium (U.S.): 67,513
  • Los Angeles Stadium (U.S.): 69,650
  • Mexico City Stadium (Mexico): 72,766
  • Miami Stadium (U.S.): 64,091
  • Monterrey Stadium (Mexico): 50,113
  • New York New Jersey Stadium (U.S.): 78,576
  • Philadelphia Stadium (U.S.): 65,827
  • San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (U.S.): 69,391
  • Seattle Stadium (U.S.): 65,123
  • Toronto Stadium (U.S.): 44,315

Where will the 2026 World Cup Final be held?

The 82,500-capacity MetLife Stadium located in East Rutherford, New Jersey will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final (in addition to seven other games over the course of the tournament. For the purposes of this World Cup, it is also known as New York/New Jersey Stadium. Completed in 2010, it is the home of both the New York Giants and Jets NFL franchises. It has previously also hosted Super Bowl XLVIII, Wrestlemania 29 and 35, and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Who are favorites to win the 2026 World Cup?

It feels like a wide-open tournament this year, with a number of countries having a real shot at the 2026 World Cup. The current favourites are Euro 2024 winners Spain, followed closely by fellow European nations France and England.

After that, we have the likes of Brazil and Argentina, both of whom have fared well in tournaments outside of Europe. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal are sure not to be far away either, while underdogs could emerge in the form of Norway, Japan, and Ecuador. The U.S. national team will be looking to go far, but the odds suggest they will struggle on home turf.

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Disclaimer

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Adam Marshall
Contributor

Adam was the Content Director of Subscriptions and Services at Future, meaning that he oversaw many of the articles the publisher produces about antivirus software, VPN, TV streaming, broadband and mobile phone contracts - from buying guides and deals news, to industry interest pieces and reviews. Adam can still be seen dusting his keyboard off to write articles for the likes of TechRadar, T3 and Tom's Guide, having started his career at consumer champions Which?.

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