FIFA World Cup 2026: How to Watch in Every Country

The 2026 FIFA World Cup promises to be the most expansive and widely accessible football tournament in history. For the first time, 48 teams will compete across 104 matches, marking a significant expansion from the traditional 32-team format. Scheduled from June 11 to July 19, 2026, this historic edition will be jointly hosted by three nations—the United States, Canada, and Mexico—making it the first World Cup to span multiple countries since 2002. With FIFA securing broadcasting rights worth approximately $3.92 billion across more than 190 territories, this comprehensive guide helps fans worldwide discover exactly how and where to watch every moment of football's greatest spectacle.

The Expanded Tournament Format

The 2026 World Cup introduces groundbreaking changes to the tournament structure. The 48 participating teams will be divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed teams advancing to a newly introduced Round of 32. This expansion means more matches, more drama, and more opportunities for nations to showcase their talent on football's biggest stage.

The tournament will feature 104 total matches—a 62.5% increase from previous editions—spread across 16 host cities. The opening match kicks off at Mexico City's iconic Estadio Azteca on June 11, 2026, while the final will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19. This 39-day tournament represents the longest World Cup in modern history, ensuring sustained excitement throughout the summer.

North America: The Host Nations

United States

As the primary host nation with 11 host cities, the United States has secured extensive broadcasting coverage. FOX Sports holds exclusive English-language broadcast rights for all 104 matches, marking their sixth consecutive World Cup as the primary U.S. broadcaster. FOX has committed to broadcasting a record 69 matches on network television, with comprehensive coverage spanning FOX broadcast network, FS1, FS2, and the FOX Sports app.

For Spanish-speaking audiences, NBCUniversal's Telemundo network holds exclusive Spanish-language broadcasting rights for all 104 matches. Coverage will be distributed across Telemundo, Universo, and the Peacock streaming platform, which will stream all matches in both English and Spanish. This dual-language approach ensures that America's diverse football fanbase has complete access regardless of language preference.

The U.S. broadcasting arrangements were established years in advance, with FIFA renewing these contracts in February 2015 without accepting competitive bids—a decision made partly as compensation for disruptions caused by the 2022 World Cup's November-December scheduling.

Canada

Canadian fans will enjoy comprehensive coverage through Bell Media, which holds exclusive rights across the nation. TSN (The Sports Network) provides English-language coverage across multiple TSN channels, while RDS (Réseau des sports) delivers French-language broadcasts for Quebec and francophone viewers nationwide. TSN Direct offers streaming access, ensuring Canadian fans can watch on multiple devices whether at home or on the go.

As a co-host nation with matches in Toronto and Vancouver, Canadian coverage will emphasize the national team's historic participation, with extensive pre-match programming and cultural content celebrating Canada's World Cup journey.

Mexico

TelevisaUnivision and TV Azteca share Mexican domestic broadcasting rights, with both major networks providing free over-the-air coverage. This ensures that every Mexican household can watch their national team compete without subscription fees—particularly significant given Mexico's hosting role, including the opening match at Estadio Azteca. Mexican fans will also benefit from matches in Guadalajara and Monterrey, with extensive coverage celebrating Mexico's third time hosting the World Cup.

Europe: Comprehensive Free-to-Air Access

United Kingdom

The BBC and ITV have secured an equal partnership to provide free-to-air coverage of all 104 matches, continuing Britain's tradition of accessible World Cup coverage. Each broadcaster will show 52 matches, with coverage distributed across BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, and ITV4. Digital streaming will be available through BBC iPlayer and ITVX, both offering free access without subscription requirements.

The deal covers both the 2026 and 2030 World Cups, guaranteeing a decade of free World Cup coverage for British viewers. This partnership ensures that major matches, including the opening game, semifinals, and final, will reach the widest possible audience across the UK.

Germany

Germany's broadcasting landscape features a unique partnership model. Telekom's MagentaTV will broadcast all matches of the World Cup, offering comprehensive coverage through its streaming platform. Public broadcasters ARD and ZDF will share rights through a sublicensing arrangement with Telekom, ensuring free-to-air access to key matches for German viewers.

Additional coverage comes through Axel Springer SE's sports media properties, including Kicker and ntv, which will provide extensive analysis, highlights, and digital content. This multi-platform approach ensures German football fans have numerous ways to follow their national team and the tournament.

France

Groupe M6 has been awarded free-to-air media rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and 2030 in France, Monaco, Andorra, and French overseas territories. Under this agreement, Groupe M6 will broadcast 54 matches in each tournament, ensuring substantial free-to-air coverage for French audiences. Matches will stream live on M6's 6play platform, with comprehensive studio programming featuring former international players and expert analysis.

Radio France and RMC provide extensive radio coverage, ensuring fans can follow matches through traditional broadcast media alongside digital platforms.

Spain

Spanish broadcasting rights involve multiple partners, with RTVE and Mediaset Spain traditionally sharing coverage. Public broadcaster RTVE ensures free-to-air access to major matches, while Mediaset provides additional coverage across its various channels. Spanish fans benefit from extensive analysis and cultural programming celebrating Spain's status as the world's top-ranked team entering the tournament.

Italy

RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana, Mediaset Italy, and DAZN hold Italian broadcasting rights, providing comprehensive coverage across both free-to-air and subscription platforms. RAI, as Italy's public broadcaster, ensures accessible coverage of key matches, while Mediaset and DAZN offer expanded coverage for dedicated football fans.

Other European Markets

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has secured rights for numerous member countries. Recent agreements include comprehensive rights for EBU Members in Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Hungary, Azerbaijan, Iceland, Malta, and Israel. These deals ensure that public broadcasters across Europe can deliver free-to-air coverage, maintaining the World Cup's accessibility across the continent.

Middle East and North Africa: beIN Sports Dominance

beIN Sports holds exclusive broadcasting rights across the entire MENA region, covering 23 countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Djibouti, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

beIN Sports will provide comprehensive Arabic-language coverage through multiple channels, with dedicated studio programming featuring former international players, pre-match preparation shows, and post-match tactical breakdowns. The beIN Sports+ streaming service offers premium digital access throughout the region, ensuring fans can watch on mobile devices and tablets.

Asia: Diverse Broadcasting Landscape

Southeast Asia

beIN Sports holds exclusive rights across Southeast Asian nations including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Brunei. The broadcaster's multiple channels ensure comprehensive coverage with English and local language commentary options, catering to the region's passionate football following.

Indian Subcontinent

Broadcasting rights for India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and the Maldives were subject to recent tender processes. While previous tournaments featured Sony Sports Network and later Viacom18, the 2026 rights are being finalized through competitive bidding. Fans should monitor official FIFA announcements for confirmed broadcasters, though major Indian streaming platforms and sports networks remain likely rights holders.

East Asia

South Korea's coverage comes through JTBC network broadcasts, while Taiwan relies on ELTA. Japan and China, as two of Asia's largest football markets, typically finalize broadcasting deals closer to tournament dates, with announcements expected throughout 2025. These markets represent enormous viewership potential, and major broadcasters in both countries are expected to secure comprehensive coverage.

Middle Eastern Markets Beyond MENA

Israel's broadcasting involves the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation and Charlton Ltd., providing comprehensive television, radio, and digital coverage. Kazakhstan's fans watch through Saran Media International Limited and Qazsport, ensuring Central Asian access to the tournament.

Africa: Expanding Access Through Multiple Platforms

Sub-Saharan Africa

SuperSport serves as the primary broadcaster across Southern and East Africa, with New World TV also holding significant regional rights. South Africa's SABC has secured free-to-air broadcast rights through a partnership with Hollywoodbets and rights agreement with New World TV, ensuring South Africans can watch Bafana Bafana's historic return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010.

SuperSport's extensive channel lineup across the continent provides multiple simultaneous match coverage, with English and local language commentary options. The broadcaster's digital platforms ensure mobile access, crucial for Africa's increasingly mobile-first audience.

North Africa

As part of the MENA region, North African countries including Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya receive coverage through beIN Sports, with comprehensive Arabic-language broadcasting across the region.

South America: Passionate Continental Coverage

Latin American broadcasting reflects the continent's deep football passion. ESPN Latin America serves as the primary broadcaster across Spanish-speaking nations, including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. ESPN's multiple channels provide simultaneous match coverage, ensuring fans never miss their team's matches.

Brazil

Brazilian coverage features TV Globo as the primary broadcaster, with extensive Portuguese-language coverage celebrating Brazil's quest for a sixth World Cup title. Additional coverage comes through various regional partners, ensuring comprehensive access across South America's largest nation.

Argentina

TyC Sports and DSports provide Argentine broadcasting, with extensive coverage of the defending champions' title defense. Argentina's status as world champions ensures premium coverage with dedicated analysis and cultural programming celebrating the national team.

Oceania: Free-to-Air Coverage

Australia

SBS holds exclusive broadcast rights in Australia, providing completely free coverage through its free-to-air television channels. SBS On Demand streams all matches at no cost on computers, mobile devices, and tablets, ensuring comprehensive digital access. Australia's public broadcaster tradition ensures the World Cup remains accessible to all viewers regardless of economic circumstances.

New Zealand

TVNZ provides complete coverage as New Zealand's public broadcaster, with streaming available through TVNZ+ and Sky Sport for comprehensive access. New Zealand fans benefit from favorable time zones for many matches, with prime-time scheduling for numerous games.

Streaming Platforms and Digital Access

The 2026 World Cup represents a significant milestone in digital broadcasting. FIFA+ provides global streaming coverage across 200+ territories, offering backup or primary coverage in regions without traditional broadcast agreements. This ensures that virtually every country has access to the tournament, with FIFA's streaming platform serving as a safety net for markets lacking established broadcasters.

Major streaming platforms playing significant roles include Peacock (USA), TSN Direct (Canada), BBC iPlayer and ITVX (UK), MagentaTV (Germany), 6play (France), and numerous regional platforms. These services typically offer multiple viewing options including multiple camera angles, instant replays, and comprehensive statistics—features that enhance the viewing experience beyond traditional television.

Time Zone Considerations

The tournament's North American scheduling creates interesting challenges for global audiences. Matches will be scheduled across multiple U.S. time zones—Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific—with kickoff times ranging from 11 AM to 8 PM local time. FIFA has committed to adjusting kickoff times to manage extreme summer heat, learning from challenges experienced at recent tournaments.

European audiences will enjoy favorable viewing times, with most matches falling during afternoon and evening hours. Asian markets face early morning broadcasts, though the passionate Asian football following ensures strong viewership despite challenging time slots. African time zones generally align favorably with North American evening matches, providing good prime-time coverage.

Free-to-Air Versus Premium Coverage

A defining feature of World Cup broadcasting is the balance between free-to-air and premium coverage. Public broadcasters in many countries—including the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia, South Africa, and Canada—ensure that major matches remain accessible without subscription fees. This accessibility reflects FIFA's commitment to making the World Cup a truly global event rather than an exclusive premium product.

Premium platforms offer enhanced coverage for dedicated fans, including every match regardless of significance, 4K ultra-high-definition quality, multiple camera angles, enhanced statistics, and comprehensive pre- and post-match analysis. Services like Peacock, MagentaTV, beIN Sports+, and various regional platforms provide these premium experiences for subscribers seeking maximum coverage.

International Broadcast Center

The International Broadcast Center will be located at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, serving as the technical hub for global broadcasting operations. This facility will coordinate feeds to hundreds of broadcasters worldwide, ensuring consistent signal quality and comprehensive coverage distribution. Sport24 has secured rights for international in-flight and cruise ship travel, ensuring that even travelers can follow the tournament.

Mobile and On-Demand Access

Modern World Cup broadcasting emphasizes flexibility and accessibility. Most major broadcasters offer mobile apps with live streaming, allowing fans to watch matches on smartphones and tablets. Cloud DVR features enable recording matches for later viewing—crucial for fans in unfavorable time zones. Most free broadcasters post full match replays within hours, ensuring fans who miss live broadcasts can catch up quickly.

The proliferation of streaming options reflects changing viewer preferences, with younger audiences particularly favoring digital platforms over traditional television. Broadcasters have adapted by ensuring their digital offerings match or exceed their traditional television coverage.

Historical Context and Rights Evolution

FIFA's broadcasting strategy for 2026 reflects lessons learned from previous tournaments. The decision to secure North American rights early—in 2015, more than a decade before the tournament—provided financial security and compensated broadcasters for disruptions caused by the 2022 World Cup's unusual November-December scheduling.

The tournament's broadcasting revenue represents approximately 36% of FIFA's total revenue for the 2023-26 cycle, demonstrating the World Cup's continued appeal to global audiences and advertisers. The $3.92 billion in broadcasting rights represents a significant increase from previous cycles, reflecting both the tournament's expansion and growing global interest in football.

The Draw and Match Schedule

The FIFA World Cup draw took place on December 5, 2025, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., dividing the 48 teams into 12 groups. The full match schedule was unveiled immediately following the draw, with specific venue and time assignments for all 104 matches now confirmed.

The opening match features Mexico at Estadio Azteca against South Africa, while Canada's opening match occurs on June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto, and the United States opens on the same day at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Each host nation plays all three group stage matches within its own country, ensuring maximum home support.

Qualification Drama

As of December 2025, 42 teams have confirmed their places, with six spots remaining to be filled through playoffs in March 2026. Four spots will be determined through UEFA playoffs, while two additional spots will be decided through inter-confederation playoffs. This means the complete field won't be finalized until just three months before the tournament begins, maintaining suspense and providing late drama for fans worldwide.

Notable qualified teams include world number one Spain, defending champions Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Germany, and surprise qualifiers like Scotland (their first World Cup since 1998) and Curaçao (the smallest nation by population ever to qualify).

Coverage Recommendations

For casual fans, free-to-air public broadcasters provide excellent value with professional coverage at no cost. Major matches including opening games, semifinals, and the final always appear on free television in most countries, ensuring accessibility.

For dedicated supporters, paid services offer comprehensive benefits: every match regardless of importance, premium 4K quality, multiple viewing angles, enhanced statistics, and in-depth analysis. The choice depends on viewing priorities and budget considerations.

International fans should create viewing calendars adjusted for their time zones, utilize DVR features for inconvenient match times, and take advantage of replay options offered by most broadcasters. Many services allow watching on multiple devices, enabling flexible viewing whether at home, work, or traveling.

Looking Ahead

The 2026 FIFA World Cup represents a watershed moment for football broadcasting. The combination of tournament expansion, multi-nation hosting, and sophisticated digital distribution creates unprecedented access for global audiences. With nearly 200 territories secured and comprehensive free-to-air coverage in most major markets, FIFA has ensured that football's greatest tournament remains accessible to billions of fans worldwide.

As June 2026 approaches, fans should bookmark official broadcaster websites, download relevant streaming apps, and familiarize themselves with local coverage plans. The tournament promises to deliver unforgettable moments across 39 days of competition, and with this comprehensive broadcasting guide, fans everywhere know exactly how to experience every goal, save, and celebration from football's ultimate stage.

Whether watching at Estadio Azteca's opening match, following your national team through the group stage, or witnessing the final at MetLife Stadium, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be accessible, exciting, and historic—truly a global celebration of the beautiful game.