Everything you need to know to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Everything you need to know to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup
We’ll give you all the details about where to watch matches, coverage teams for games, and more.
Soccer fans around the world have been waiting four long years for this week. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to begin on Thursday, June 11, with 104 total matches to delight fans before it’s over. It’s one of the best summer sports traditions in the world, one that never fails to attract new fans to the beautiful game.
It seems as if every major sporting event is now spread across three TV channels and two different streaming services these days. But what about the World Cup? We’ll explain everything you need to know to watch the tournament with as little confusion as possible below.
Everything you need to know about watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Where is the 2026 FIFA World Cup being held?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held at 16 different sites across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. That may not seem like a hugely important thing to viewers who are planning to watch from home anyway, but it means domestic fans won’t have to deal with waking up at 4 a.m. to watch their favorite team in action.
Which channels carry 2026 FIFA World Cup games?
There are just two channels that will shoulder the burden of broadcasting World Cup games in English this year: Fox and FS1. All 104 matches will be split between these two networks, with 70 on Fox and the remaining 34 scheduled to air on FS1. Despite the large number of games on the World Cup schedule, FS2 and Fox Soccer Plus will not be required to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| Fox | + $19 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FS1 | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
How to stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup in English
There are a total of five live TV streaming services that fans will be able to use to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Fox and FS1. Each of them has its own particular advantages, so we’ll explain the pros and cons of each choice below.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of our favorite ways to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It carries Fox and FS1 in every Signature channel package, each of which is $30 off for a new customer’s first month with a current deal. The ENTERTAINMENT plan is the cheapest, starting at $60 per month for 90+ channels.
Viewers will also find Fox and FS1 in DIRECTV’s MyEntertainment Genre Pack. Normally $65 per month, this package now costs just $50 for a new subscriber’s first two months. It includes 20+ channels, as well as a free ESPN Unlimited subscription.
DIRECTV also offers new customers a five-day free trial when they first sign up. There’s an important factor to remember if you want to choose DIRECTV: the streamer is currently in a carriage dispute with E.W. Scripps. A selection of Fox affiliates owned by Scripps has been knocked off DIRECTV, so viewers in those markets may want to grab an antenna to watch games on that channel if they pick DIRECTV to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.
Fubo
Fubo offers Fox and FS1 in its Pro, Elite, and Deluxe packages. These plans each feature hundreds of channels and start at $74 per month normally. New customers can save $25 - $30 per month off their first month of a new Fubo subscription with these plans, as well.
Viewers can also choose the Fubo Sports service, with 20+ channels and ESPN Unlimited, to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This plan normally costs $56 per month, but is discounted to $46 for one month for a limited time. Fubo plans come with a free trial that can last between one and seven days, depending on several factors outside the user’s control.
Fubo
Fubo is a live TV streaming service offering a robust lineup of approximately 150 premier channels, with plans starting at $63.99 per month. This entry-level package provides access to local broadcast affiliates 18 of the leading 35 cable channels channels, and valuable regional sports networks (RSNs).
Hulu + Live TV
Unlike some other streaming services, Hulu + Live TV has not yet begun offering genre-specific channel plans. It still has just one core package of channels, but this plan does include both Fox and FS1, along with 90+ other popular selections.
Viewers can sign up for Hulu + Live TV starting at $89 per month, but for $90, they can unlock the entire Disney Bundle, including content from Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited. Hulu + Live TV also includes a three-day free trial for new subscribers.
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 70 channels for $89.99 per month. Hulu + Live TV base plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs). Subscribers get free access to Disney+ and ESPN Select at no extra charge.
Sling TV
Sling TV is probably not the best choice to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup, since it only carries Fox in a handful of markets around the United States (see the chart below). In areas where Fox is available with Sling, the channel can be found alongside FS1 in the streamer’s Blue and Select packages.
Sling Blue costs $46 per month for 40+ channels, while Sling Select is $20 for 10+ channels. A surcharge of up to $10 per month may be charged for subscribers who get ABC and NBC along with Fox in their Sling Blue or Sling Select subscriptions, as well.
Sling TV
Sling TV is The Streamable’s choice for cord-cutters on a budget. Sling is a live TV streaming service with multiple channel packages. The $45.99/month Sling Orange plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $45.99/month Sling Blue plan offers about 40 channels, including ABC, Fox, and NBC in major markets.
You can combine Orange+Blue for a total of $60.99 / month. Sling also offers many channel add-on packages starting at $6/month.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV offers Fox and FS1 in its core channel package for $83 per month, or its Sports Genre Plan for $65 per month. Both options currently come with discounts: the core plan is now $68 for a new subscriber’s first three months, or viewers can opt for the Sports plan and pay $55 per month for their first 12 months.
New YouTube TV subscribers get a free trial of between two and 21 days, and currently, the streamer is advertising the full 21-day experience. That will allow audiences to watch a good portion of the 39-day World Cup tournament at no cost if they’ve never tried YouTube TV before.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $82.99/month. This plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The base plan includes more than 100 live channels, including major broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as popular cable channels such as ESPN, CNN, FX, USA Network, and TNT. Local channels are included in most markets, making YouTube TV a full replacement for traditional cable for many viewers.
Fox One
Fox One is a new direct-to-consumer service that launched in August 2025. It allows subscribers to watch all live sports, news, and entertainment content appearing on Fox channels, so it will carry every game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Customers can sign up for Fox One on its own for $20 per month, and bundles with Fox Nation and ESPN Unlimited are also available. New customers can enjoy a seven-day free trial of Fox One when they first sign up.
Fox One
Launched August 21, 2025, Fox One is a direct-to-consumer streaming service from Fox Corporation. Billed as a “major digital initiative,” Fox One brings together the full range of Fox’s leading news, sports, and entertainment brands, offering live and on-demand access in one unified platform.
How to stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Spanish
Our favorite way to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Spanish is with a subscription to Peacock. This streamer will carry all matches from the tournament in Spanish and will surround the event with shoulder coverage and great features. Access to Peacock’s Premium tier will cost a new subscriber just $11 per month.
Alternatively, viewers can see World Cup matches on linear TV with Telemundo, which is widely available in a host of live TV streaming channel plans.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| Telemundo | + $15 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
Who will call, analyze 2026 FIFA World Cup matches?
Fox Sports has lined up an impressive team of play-by-play announcers and studio analysts to ensure fans know exactly what’s happening every moment of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The roster of studio talent includes some of the world’s most famous footballers, including Thierry Henry (France), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden), Clarence Seedorf (Netherlands), Javier “Chicharito” Hernández (Mexico), John Obi Mikel (Nigeria), Thiago Alcântara (Spain), Juan Pablo Ángel (Colombia), and Peter Schmeichel (Denmark). They’ll be joined by Americans Alexi Lalas, Carli Lloyd, Clint Dempsey, and Landon Donovan. Donovan will also take on match analyst duties throughout the tournament.
Fox has also assembled strong play-by-play teams to call each World Cup game, including the reunion of John Strong with Stu Holden for their third consecutive World Cup, with Jenny Taft to take on sideline reporting duties. Donovan will pair with commentator Ian Darke, and they’ll team with reporter Alex Aljoe. Other group stage announcing teams include Jacqui Oatley and Warren Barton, Darren Fletcher and Owen Hargreaves, Derek Rae and Rob Green, Ian Crocker and Danny Higginbotham, J.P. Dellacamera and Lori Lindsey, and Tyler Terens and Maurice Edu.
What other World Cup coverage does Fox have planned?
Fox is going all-out for its World Cup streams; multi-hyphenate soccer superfan James Corden will host “FIFA World Cup on Fox After Hours” throughout the tournament. The show will debut on June 11, and will air on Fox at 12 midnight local time each game day, and will see Corden focus on the “world” in the World Cup.
In addition, Fox’s free streaming service Tubi will also have an expansive World Cup hub. The platform will carry the Opening Ceremonies and the two early games (including Team USA vs. Paraguay) live. Throughout the event, Tubi will be home to highlights, analysis, documentaries, and more, making sure that your World Cup experience is as well-rounded as possible.
Tubi
Tubi is a free video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 200,000+ movies and TV episodes - more than any other streaming service. Its ad breaks are shorter and less frequent than most free services. Fox executives have called their service “TV on steroids.”
How to listen to the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the radio
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will stream on iHeartMedia. All 104 matches will be provided by Fox Sports in the iHeartMedia app for free. Every USMNT game will be heard on more than 100 iHeart broadcast stations, including Fox Sports Radio affiliates nationwide.
Which streamer has the best multiview for watching 2026 FIFA World Cup matches?
Most live TV streamers offer a version of multiview these days, and since some World Cup games on Fox will overlap those appearing on FS1, having access to a multiview will be key to ensuring you don’t miss a second of game action.
YouTube TV is our top choice to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the benefit of multiview. Its multiview feature is customizable, allowing viewers to swap content in and out at will. DIRECTV’s Mix Channels option doesn’t allow for switching, and Fubo’s customizable multiview is only available on a small number of devices, including Roku players.
When is the USMNT playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
The USMNT’s group stage schedule is available now and is displayed in the table below. Its later games will be determined by its group stage results.
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, June 12 | 9 p.m. | USA vs. Paraguay | Fox |
| Friday, June 19 | 3 p.m. | USA vs. Australia | Fox |
| Thursday, June 25 | 10 p.m. | USA vs. Türkiye | Fox |
Can you watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup on mobile devices?
Yes. All the top live TV streaming services in the United States offer mobile apps that will allow you to stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Fox or FS1 from anywhere, so you don’t have to worry about remaining glued to your couch while you stream.
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