The 2026 FIFA World Cup is already underway, and if you haven't sorted out how to watch it yet, you're running out of time. Group stage matches are live now, with knockout rounds starting June 28 and the final scheduled for July 19.
Here's what you actually need to know to watch every match — without overpaying, and in some cases, without paying at all.
Your streaming options, ranked by price
In the United States, Fox holds the English-language rights to 70 matches — every game from the Round of 16 onward. FS1 picks up the other 34. Spanish-language coverage is split between Telemundo (92 games) and Universo (12), both under NBCUniversal.
You don't need cable for any of it. Here's what streaming costs:
- Fox One — $20/month. Fox's own app. Cleanest option if you only want the English broadcast.
- Sling Select — $30/month. Gets you Fox and FS1.
- Fubo Sports — $45.99 first month, then $55.99. Add $5/month for 4K streams.
- DirecTV MySports — $50/month for the first two months. Covers Fox and FS1.
- YouTube TV Sports package — $65/month. Cheaper than their standard $83 plan and still gets you Fox and FS1.
- Hulu Live — $90/month, with Telemundo available for an extra $11.99/month. Steep.
- Peacock Premium — $10.99/month for the Spanish-language broadcasts on Telemundo and Universo.
Fox One is the sharpest value if you're only after the English feed. If you want Spanish commentary — which, for the record, is vastly more entertaining — you're looking at Peacock as the cheapest route in.
The free options (limited, but real)
FIFA+ will stream select matches at no cost on their website. FIFA and YouTube also struck a deal giving rights holders the ability to stream the first 10 minutes of games and a handful of full matches free on YouTube. Tubi, Fox's free streaming platform, will carry the June 11 Mexico vs. South Africa and June 12 US vs. Paraguay matches for nothing.
That's not a complete solution for the tournament — but it's something. FuboTV offers a 7-day free trial; Hulu gives you three days. Neither gets you to the final, but they cover a stretch of group games.
The more interesting free angle is a VPN. Streaming platforms in other countries offer free World Cup coverage that's simply unavailable in the US. BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub in Britain, TF1 Player and L'Equipe TV in France, RTÉ Player and Virgin Media Play in Ireland, and RTVE Play in Spain all carry matches without a subscription. A VPN spoofs your location to access them. Proton VPN and TunnelBear both offer free tiers — so you could theoretically watch major matches at zero cost, though VPN compatibility with streaming platforms can change without warning.
Who's playing and when
The tournament is spread across 16 cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States — the first World Cup hosted across three countries. High ticket prices have pushed a lot of fans toward streaming, which makes sorting this out actually worth your time.
Today's group stage fixtures include England vs. Ghana and Panama vs. Croatia (both Group L), plus Portugal vs. Uzbekistan and Colombia vs. Congo DR in Group K. USA's next match is June 25 at 10 p.m. ET — Türkiye vs. USA in Los Angeles.
The full group breakdown:
- Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czechia
- Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
- Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
- Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye
- Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
- Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
- Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
- Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
- Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
- Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
- Group K: Portugal, Congo DR, Uzbekistan, Colombia
- Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
Knockout football starts June 28. The final is July 19. Fox One at $20/month remains the most straightforward path to watching all of it.
