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Date: Thursday, June 11 to Sunday, July 19 |
Free stream: BBC iPlayer/ITVX (UK) | SBS On Demand (AU) |
North America stream: Fox/FS1 via YouTubeTV (US) | TSN+ (CA) |
Watch anywhere: Stream from anywhere with Norton VPN |
Watch 2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the biggest tournament in the event’s history, with Mexico, Canada and the USA coming together to welcome 48 teams to compete in a continent spanning 104 games. It’s a soccer fan's dream, and even for those not as enamoured with the beautiful game, it’ll still be an unmissable spectacle, kicking off with a trilogy of breathtaking opening ceremonies. Read on as we explain how to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup wherever you are.
How to watch 2026 FIFA World Cup online free in the UK
The FIFA 2026 World Cup will air across two different networks in the UK. BBC pip ITV ever so slightly, with 54 of the 104 games set to be broadcast on BBC One or BBC Two. ITV host the remaining 50, with matches going out on ITV1 or ITV4.
Both networks also offer FREE streaming services, with the respective games available on either ITVX or BBC iPlayer.
Both services are free to use in the UK, though they require a TV licence to watch live. However, you don't need one to watch catch-up on ITV.
Sign up is free for an ITVX or BBC iPlayer account. All you need is an email address and a UK postcode (e.g. EC1N 2ST).
Abroad? Use a VPN using the instructions below to access ITVX and BBC iPlayer back home
How to watch 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere
If you're a UK citizen on vacation or working overseas, you can watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup and stream just like you would back home.
While ITVX and BBC iPlayer are only available to Brits and block access from IP addresses outside of the UK, there's a handy piece of software called a VPN which can change your IP address, allowing you to watch UK TV online from anywhere by making it look like you're accessing streaming services from any country in the world.
For example, UK citizens in the States can subscribe to a VPN, join a UK based server and tune into all the programmes on ITVX or BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world, just like you would back home.
Step-by-step of using a VPN to unblock:
1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – one of our top recommendations for unblocking is Norton VPN.
2. Connect to a server – for ITVX or BBC iPlayer, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the UK.
3. Go to the stream you wish to access - for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, head to ITVX or BBC iPlayer.
How to watch 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US
In the US, the FIFA 2026 World Cup will go out on Fox and FS1.
If the channels are part of your cable package, you're all set, and will also be able to stream via the Fox website. Cord-cutters can get Fox and FS1, along with a huge number of other networks, via a live TV streaming service such as YouTube TV, Fubo or Sling.
Remember, if you're a Brit abroad and want to watch via ITVX or BBC iPlayer, you can always port yourself back home and watch concurrent with the UK using a VPN.
How to watch 2026 FIFA World Cup in Australia
Aussies can watch every FIFA 2026 World Cup game on SBS, with matches also streaming for FREE via SBS On Demand.
100% free to use, you can watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup and more through SBS On Demand. All you need to do is sign up with your email and password.
SBS On Demand content is accessible to Aussies only. So if you're from Down Under but away from home, you can simply sign up to a VPN to appear right back at home.
How to watch 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada
Canadian's can catch a select number of matches totally free on CTV, with streaming also available on the CTV app and Crave. For the full tournament experience, every game will go out on TSN and will stream on TSN+.
Crave plans start at CA$11.99 per month, and will get you access to a selection of games from the tournament plus a whole heap of entertainment, while the sports-focused TSN+ starts at CA$8 per month, giving you every match from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
If you're a Brit travelling in Canada wanting to connect to ITVX or BBC iPlayer, you can do so with a VPN.
Everything you need to know about the 2026 FIFA World Cup
2026 FIFA World Cup: Preview
Argentina enter the tournament as defending champions, looking to fend off more challengers than any previous winner in a bid to defend their crown. It would be a storybook ending for Lionel Messi in what will almost certainly be his final World Cup, but they will face stiff competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo will also be taking a bow this time out, and he will be hoping he can lead his Portugal side to one of the few trophies that has eluded him throughout his iconic career. Either way, both men will leave with a new accolade, as the pair break the record for the most World Cups played by a men's player, making their sixth appearances at the tournament.
Elsewhere, France and Spain are favourites to take home the trophy, with the 2022 World Cup finalists and the Euro 2024 winners both looking strong. Spain's opponents in that final, England, are still looking to end what is now 60 years of hurt, with new boss Thomas Tuchel entering his first international tournament in charge.
Of the three host nations, the USA could build on their home advantage to better their previous best performance (in the modern era) of reaching the quarter-finals in 2002, while Canada will be looking to improve on their disappointing group-stage exit in Qatar. Mexico have reached the quarter-finals on both previous occasions they have hosted the tournament, but with an additional knockout round this time, getting there, or going further, will be a tough hill to climb.
Either way, it is set to be an absolute feast of football, and it is not just the blockbuster match-ups worth checking out. Some of the most thrilling games of the tournament traditionally come from lower-seeded clashes, particularly in the group stage.
Can I watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free?
Quite possibly! A number of countries around the globe are airing some or all of the 2026 World Cup on free streamers, including:
- UK: ITVX or BBC iPlayer
- Australia: SBS On Demand
- Ireland: RTÉ Player
- Switzerland: SRF Play / RTS Play / RSI Play
- Belgium: RTBF / VRT
- Netherlands: NOS
- Brazil: Caze TV
- Turkey: TRT
2026 FIFA World Cup schedule
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