The 2018 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off in just a few weeks. Though the United States didn’t make the cut this year, there is going to be plenty of drama and action during the World Cup in Russia.
No matter what team you’re supporting, though, you may be wondering how to watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Amazon Fire TV. If you’ve cut the cord on cable, chances are you’re using a Fire TV or a similar device to watch all of your favorite content. Or, maybe you simply prefer using your Fire TV, rather than your cable or satellite subscription.
So, what options do you have for watching the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Amazon Fire TV? Let’s get into your options!
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How to Watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Amazon Fire TV Without Cable – Fox Sports is Required
In the past, you used to have very few options for watching live sports if you didn’t have cable or satellite TV. This is especially true of the World Cup. In 2018, Fox Sports has exclusive English-language coverage of all of the matches, while Telemundo has rights to Spanish-language.
Telemundo’s broadcasts will be shown through the NBC Sports Network app, while Fox Sports can be accessed if you have an expensive cable subscription, or if you opt for a much cheaper Internet TV skinny bundle.
Now, let’s explore your best options for watching the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
fuboTV
fuboTV was founded specifically so that American soccer (or, “football”) fans would be able to watch international competitions like La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga—and, given its reputation, it should be no surprise that it also provides access to the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Plans and channels
fuboTV recently changed their pricing and plan structure. Now, you can choose from a $45/month “fubo” package, or upgrade to the “fubo Extra” package for $50/month. fubo Latino and fubo Portugues may also be attractive, low-cost options if you only need Spanish-language coverage of the FIFA World Cup from Telemundo.
Whether you choose fubo or fubo Extra, you’ll get Fox Sports, as well as regional Fox Sports networks. Other channels include beIN Sports and NBC Sports Network, as well as a variety of other channels focused on international sports.
Features
fuboTV has a reasonable set of features. You get a free cloud-based DVR, which gives you 30 hours of content. If that’s not enough, you can pay $10/month extra to get 500 hours of storage space.
You only get to stream on 2 devices at once, but you can purchase a $6/month “Family Share” add-on to stream on 3 devices, if you want.
You can get fuboTV on the Amazon App Store and stream the 2018 FIFA World Cup on your Amazon Fire TV. You can also watch on Android and iOS device, as well as the Apple TV, Chromecast, and Roku.
Interested? Give the service a shot with a free week-long trial, and see what you think.
Sling TV
If you’re looking for a budget option for watching the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Amazon Fire TV, Sling TV is the right choice for you. Learn more about the service now.
Plans and channels
| Sling Orange Great Value $40.00/ month | 30+ channels ESPN New subscriber special 1 simultaneous stream | Try Sling |
| Sling Blue Great Value$40.00/ month | 40+ channels Fox, NBC, CNN, MSNBC New subscriber special 3 simultaneous streams | Try Sling |
| Sling Orange + Blue Best Value $55.00/ month | 45+ channels ESPN New subscriber special 4* simultaneous streams | Try Sling |
Sling TV does things a bit differently than services like DirecTV Now. You can get Sling Orange for $20/month, or Sling Blue for $25/month. Both services have different features and channels. You can also combine both packages for
$55 per month
.If you want to watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup, though, you’ll only be interested in Sling Blue. Sling Blue provides around 45 channels for $25/month, including Fox Sports, Fox Sports 1, and local FOX Sports affiliates, where available.
This means that Sling TV is definitely the cheapest way to watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Amazon Fire TV if you don’t have cable, bar none.
Features
The features you get with Sling TV vary, depending on the package you choose. For example, you get only 1 stream with Sling Orange, while Sling Blue lets you stream on up to 3 devices at once.
Notably, this restriction is still in place if you get Sling Blue + Orange for $40/month. You can still only stream Sling Orange channels, like ESPN, on 1 device at a time.
Another drawback of Sling TV is that you have to pay extra for a DVR. Since it’s tough to watch every FIFA World Cup match live, you’ll likely have to fork over $5/month for a 50-hour cloud DVR service.
Sling TV does have good device support, though. It’s available as a download for Amazon Fire TV. Other supported devices include Android and iOS phones/tablets, all major web browsers, and alternative devices like Chromecast, Roku, and Apple TV.
You can give it a try now for free, with a 7-day trial.
DirecTV Now
DirecTV Now is owned by AT&T and offers reasonable features with an incredible list of channels.
Plans and channels
As you can see, you have quite a few options when it comes to choosing a DirecTV Now channel package. Luckily, though, Fox Sports is included in the lowest-cost, $35/month “Live A Little” package. If you choose to upgrade, though, you can get additional sports channels like Fox Sports 2 with the $60/month “Go Big” package.
Features
In the past, we’ve definitely had some problems with DirecTV’s features—or rather, the lack thereof. Until just a few weeks ago, DirecTV Now had no cloud-based DVR, which was an option available from every other streaming service.
That’s no longer the case, though. Now, all DirecTV Now subscribers have access to a free 20-hour cloud DVR. This is still pretty restrictive, but it’s much better than nothing.
By default, you can only stream on 2 devices at once. Soon, though, DirecTV Now will allow users to add another stream for an additional monthly fee.
You can download the DirecTV Now app directly to your Amazon Fire TV. Other supported platforms include iOS and Android devices, as well as web browsers, the Chromecast, Apple TV, and Roku.
Want to give it a try? You can get a free 7-day trial on the DirecTV Now website.
Hulu With Live TV
Hulu With Live TV was released late last year. It’s still technically in “beta” but has quickly become a top choice for cord-cutters.
Plans and channel
There’s only a single subscription package available on Hulu With Live TV. You can get between 40-70 channels, depending on your geographical location.
You’ll get both Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2, so you’ll have all the World Cup coverage you need. Other sports channels include ESPN and ESPN2, as well as NBCSN and The Olympic Channel.
One nice benefit of the $40/month Hulu With Live TV subscription is that it includes a base-tier Hulu membership (an $8/month value) at no extra charge. You can watch live TV, as well as content from the Hulu on-demand library.
Features
Hulu With Live TV includes a free cloud-based DVR, which comes with 50 hours of storage. Not enough? You can upgrade to 200 hours with the “Enhanced DVR” add-on, which costs $15/month.
You also get 2 simultaneous streams. Again, this can be upgraded for $15/month with the aptly-named “Unlimited Screens” add-on. You’ll be able to stream on unlimited devices on your home network, and on up to 3 devices outside the network. You can combine Enhanced DVR and Unlimited Screens for a flat fee of $20/month.
You can get Hulu With Live TV on the Amazon App Store. Most other major streaming platforms are also included, such as mobile devices and web browsers, and streaming devices like the Apple TV and Chromecast.
Want to give it a try? You can get a free 7-day trial at the Hulu With Live TV website.
PlayStation Vue
Despite the unfortunate name (you don’t need a PlayStation to use it) of Sony’s streaming service, it receives rave reviews from users. Get the basics about PlayStation Vue now.
Plans and channels
Like DirecTV Now, PlayStation Vue offers 4 basic subscription tiers.
- Access – 45 channels, $40/month
- Core – 60 channels, $45/month
- Elite – 84 channels, $55/month
- Ultra – All Elite channels plus HBO/Showtime, $75/month
You can get Fox Sports and Fox Sports 2 in the lowest-priced “Access” package. You can upgrade to Core or Elite for more sports coverage from channels like CBS Sports Network and NFL Network, but you don’t need a pricey package to watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Features
PlayStation Vue has great features, particularly for families.
The headline is the 5-device simultaneous streaming policy. You can watch PlayStation Vue on up to 5 devices at once, so you rarely have to worry about too many people watching simultaneously.
You also get a 28-day unlimited DVR. The only restriction of the DVR is that you can only record episodes from up to 500 different shows—which should not be a problem for most cord-cutters.
PlayStation Vue is available as a download from the Amazon App Store. Naturally, you can also watch it on Playstation 3 and 4 consoles, as well as web browsers, iOS and Android, Roku, Chromecast, and Apple TV.
You can give it a shot with a free 5-day trial now if you’re interested.
Fox Sports GO
Fox Sports Go is the best way to watch the FIFA World Cup on Amazon Fire TV if you have a cable login—or if you’ve subscribed to one of the above internet TV services.
All you have to do is download the Fox Sports GO app on your Amazon Fire TV. Then, log in with your cable login, or the credentials from an internet TV service like Sling TV.
What’s the benefit of watching on Fox Sports GO? Simple—it doesn’t count towards your simultaneous stream limit.
For example, if 2 people are watching TV using your DirecTV Now subscription, you could still watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup by logging into Fox Sports GO, rather than the DirecTV Now app.
YouTube TV – A Great Option (That’s Not Available On Amazon Fire TV)
Wondering why YouTube TV isn’t on our list? Because of the ongoing feud between Amazon and Google, YouTube TV doesn’t support the Amazon Fire TV.
That’s too bad, too. YouTube TV gives you Fox Sports and Fox Sports 2, as well as a number of other sports channels, for just $40/month. You can stream on up to 3 devices, and record your shows for up to 9 months, with no other DVR limits.
If you subscribe to YouTube TV and want to watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Amazon Fire TV, your only choice is to download the Fox Sports GO app, and log into your YouTube TV account.
It’s a less-than-ideal choice, but it’s your only option until Amazon and Google resolve their feud – and release a working YouTube TV app for the Amazon Fire TV.
What Are Internet TV Skinny Bundles?
In the past, you needed an expensive cable subscription to watch all kinds of sports. Now, however, it’s easier than ever to watch the FIFA World Cup and other sporting events without cable.
This is thanks to the rise of the “skinny bundle” internet TV service. Internet TV is exactly what it sounds like—instead of subscribing to a cable package, you choose an internet-based service that lets you watch your favorite channels on Amazon Fire TV and a number of other devices.
You get to choose a TV provider based on the channels that are important to you, and the features you’re the most interested in.
There are many different internet TV providers out there, but they all share similar features. Most of them cost around $20-$40/month for a subscription, so they are much cheaper than cable.
In addition, you don’t need to pay for equipment rentals, or for any kind of installation. You simply watch content over your home WiFi network—just like you would if you were watching Netflix.
You can also use your internet TV login just like you would use a cable subscription. For example, you can use any of the Internet TV options on this list to log into the Fox Sports GO app, just like you would with cable!
Your options to watch without cable grow every year, so we recommend coming back to check on our different guides to see how your cord-cutting options have grown.
Eric Liston is a content writer based in Columbus, Ohio. Since 2015, he’s been writing about technology, cord-cutting, and helping everyday people save money. He also has expertise writing about medicine, dentistry, insurance, and a variety of other industries. No matter what he’s writing, his focus is always on simplifying complex concepts and making them approachable for everyone. When he’s not slamming away on his keyboard at his home office, you’ll find Eric reading sci-fi novels, improving his disc golf game (he just hit his first 400-foot drive) and playing video games on his gaming PC.
