The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off June 11 and the group stage is already delivering drama. Today's slate alone — Brazil vs. Haiti, Scotland vs. Morocco, Türkiye vs. Paraguay, and USA vs. Australia — gives you a reason to sort out your streaming situation right now.
The good news: you don't need a cable subscription. The better news: some of it is actually free.
Where to stream and what it'll cost you
In the United States, Fox holds the English-language rights to 70 matches, with FS1 carrying another 34. Telemundo and Universo handle Spanish-language coverage — 92 and 12 games respectively. That means depending on how you watch and in what language, you might need more than one service.
Here's the honest breakdown of your options:
- Fox One — Fox's own app, $20/month. Covers every Fox and FS1 match in one place. The cleanest solution if English coverage is all you need.
- Sling Select — $30/month. Gets you Fox and FS1 without overpaying.
- Fubo — $45.99 for the first month, $55.99 after. Has a 7-day free trial, which could get you through the first week of group stage at no cost.
- DirecTV — The MySports base pack at $50/month covers Fox and FS1 for the first two months.
- YouTube TV — The Sports package comes in at $65/month and includes Fox and FS1. Better value than their standard $83 plan.
- Hulu — $90/month for Fox and FS1, with Spanish-language add-ons available. Pricey. Offers a 3-day free trial.
- Peacock Premium — $10.99/month unlocks Telemundo and Universo coverage. Essential if you're following the Spanish-language broadcasts.
The free trial angle is worth thinking through strategically. Fubo's 7-day trial and Hulu's 3-day window won't carry you to the final on July 19, but they can cover multiple group stage matchdays without spending a cent.
Actually free options — and the VPN route
FIFA+ will stream select matches for free on their website. YouTube has a deal allowing rights holders to stream the first 10 minutes of games and a handful of full matches. Tubi — Fox's free streaming platform — will carry the June 11 Mexico vs. South Africa and June 12 USA vs. Paraguay matches at no charge.
That's not enough to follow the whole tournament, but it's something.
A VPN opens up more. Platforms like BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, France's TF1 Player, Ireland's RTÉ Player, and Spain's RTVE Play offer free World Cup streams — and spoofing your location with a VPN can get you there. Proton VPN and TunnelBear both have free tiers worth trying. Just know that VPN compatibility with streaming platforms can disappear without warning.
The tournament itself
The World Cup spans 16 cities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States — including Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Toronto, Mexico City, and Vancouver. Group stage runs through June 27. Knockouts begin June 28. The final is July 19.
The 48-team field is split into 12 groups of four. Some of the groups worth tracking closely:
- Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
- Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye
- Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
- Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
- Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
The USA's next match after today comes June 25 against Türkiye in Los Angeles at 10 p.m. ET — a game that could define whether they advance comfortably or sweat out the group stage decider.
If you're placing futures bets on tournament winners, getting a sense of how these group games play out matters. Teams in groups with early momentum — Brazil, France, Argentina — tend to carry that confidence into the knockouts. Today's results will tell you a lot about whether Group C and D standings are as predictable as they look on paper.
The final is July 19. Plenty of football between now and then.
