The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across three North American countries (USA, Mexico, and Canada) from June-July 2026. FOX owns the broadcast rights to all English-language World Cup tournaments, and matches will be aired across FOX and Fox Sports 1.
If you’ve cut the cord and you want to ensure you never miss a match, you’ll need to subscribe to the right streaming service. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the top 3 options for FIFA fans.
Our pick for watching the FIFA World Cup without cable: DirecTV Stream
When it comes to the best streaming service for watching the FIFA World Cup, it’s tough to pick a winner, because you can get FOX and FS1 with many streaming services. Over the years, the industry has become so competitive. As more and more streaming services enter the arena, each one is forced to up the ante to keep subscribers engaged.
That said, our top pick has to be DirecTV Stream, mainly due to its full coverage of World Cup matches, its impeccable features, and its ability to replace a full cable subscription.
Why DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream is one of the only streaming services that offer a strong selection of Regional Sports Networks that can compete with what you would get with cable.
They know that sports fans are a large number of their subscribers, too. Recently, they seem to be in the process of launching “Sports Mode”.
DirecTV Stream has not yet given details as to what it will entail, but from users’ experiences with it so far, it seems to be a side panel—which you can activate by holding down “OK” on your remote control—that will display live scores of other events, team comparisons, and match stats. This will make for an even better viewing experience for sports fans.
Top features
DirecTV Stream offers one of the largest channel selections when compared to other streaming services on the market. To get all the World Cup matches, all you need is the cheapest Entertainment package. You’ll get 75+ channels, including tons of live sports channels, news, entertainment, children’s programming, and more. You can plug in your ZIP code to see which Regional Sports Networks are available to you based on where you live.
DirecTV Stream Entertainment
Pay $49.99 for the first 2 months
- 75+ channels
- Stream on unlimited devices at home
- Unlimited DVR space
- Three months of Max free
$79.99/month
DirecTV Stream Optimo Mas
- 100+ live TV channels
- Spanish and English programming
- Three months of Max free
- Unlimited DVR space
$79.99/month
DirecTV Stream Choice
Pay $49.99 for the first 2 months
- 105+ live channels
- Unlimited DVR space
- Includes regional sports networks
- Three months of Max free
$108.99/month
DirecTV Stream Ultimate
Pay $49.99 for the first 2 months
- 140+ live channels
- Unlimited DVR space
- Includes regional sports networks
- Three months of Max free
$119.99/month
DirecTV Stream Premier
- Unlimited DVR space
- 150+ channels
- Includes Max Cinemax SHOWTIME and STARZ
- Includes regional sports networks
$154.99/month
When it comes to features, DirecTV Stream has it down pat. The streaming service offers unlimited Cloud DVR if you subscribe online—you can record up to 30 movies, shows, or sports programs (with certain limitations) at once and watch them on your own time for 9 months. As well, it has device compatibility with Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire, meaning that it’s easy to assimilate DirecTV with your TV setup.
Finally, DirecTV Stream offers up to 20 simultaneous streams at once for FOX and FS1, when your device is located within the home network. This makes it perfect to share your subscription with family or friends.
Check out our full review of DirecTV Stream here.
Other options for watching the FIFA World Cup without cable: Sling TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV
Sling TV
Sling TV does things a bit differently than services like DirecTV Stream. You can get Sling Orange or Sling Blue individually, or a combination of both. Both come with different channels and services.
Sling Orange
$10 off your first month
- 30+ channels
- ESPN
- Stream on one device
$40/month
Sling Blue
$10 off your first month
- 40+ channels
- Local channels in select cities
- News and entertainment
- Stream on three screens
$45/month
Sling Orange & Blue
$10 off your first month
- General cable replacement
- 45+ channels
- Stream on three screens
$60/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, 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.
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. 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 great 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, as well as gaming devices. All in all, Sling TV is a solid pick to watch the FIFA World Cup. Take a look at the entire list of devices supported here, or check out our full Sling review for more.
Fubo
Fubo started off as the ultimate soccer-focused streaming service but has since expanded to offer a great selection of live sports channels all around. In fact, it might be the streaming service with the widest range of sports content out there.
Fubo Pro
Try 7 days free
- 1000 hours of cloud DVR
- Stream on ten screens
- 180+ channels
$74.99/month
Fubo Elite
Try 7 days free
- Stream on ten screens
- 1000 hours of cloud DVR
- 250+ channels
- HD and 4K video quality
$84.99/month
Fubo Premier
Try 7 days free
- Stream on ten screens
- 250+ channels
- HD and 4K video quality
- 1000 hours of cloud DVR
- Showtime included
$94.99/month
You’ll get 170+ channels, but not all of them are sports channels. You’ll find a great selection of entertainment even with just its base package. It also has Telemundo, in case you want to watch the World Cup in Spanish. When it comes to features, you get 4K streaming with even the base package, and FIFA announced they would be streaming select matches (including the final) in 4K/HDR, which will make for a beautiful viewing experience.
In terms of device support, Fubo has a good range of coverage. It supports Android and iOS devices with native apps and streaming boxes like Roku, Amazon FireTV, Android TV, Apple TV and Chromecast. However, Fubo unfortunately does not support the major gaming platforms like Xbox or PlayStation consoles.
Check out our full review of Fubo here.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is a great streaming service not just for sports fans, but also for the whole family. Its collection of popular Hulu Originals, top shows and movies, and 90+ channels are guaranteed to keep everyone entertained, regardless of their interests.
Hulu (with ads)
Get 3 HULU, DISNEY Plus, ESPN
- Stream on two screens
- Big movies
- Hit TV shows
- On demand content
$7.99/month
Hulu (no ads)
Get 3 HULU, DISNEY Plus, ESPN
- Stream on two screens
- Big movies
- Hit TV shows
- On demand content
- No ads
$17.99/month
Hulu Live TV only
- 90+ live channels
- Stream on two screens
$75.99/month
Hulu Live TV (with ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$76.99/month
Hulu Live TV (some ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$81.99/month
Hulu Live TV (no ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$89.99/month
You’ll get FOX, FS1, and Telemundo, along with a free ESPN+ subscription included in your plan. DVR is unlimited, with recordings saved for up to 9 months. Streaming quality is excellent, with high-quality HD streaming and no buffering to ruin iconic sports moments. Keep in mind, though, that you can only stream on 2 devices at once.
Hulu has invested heavily in making its service as accessible as possible, both for the on-demand and Live TV services. As a result, Hulu + Live TV is available on more devices than most of its competitors. Hulu + Live TV is compatible with all major TV streaming players (Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and Roku), smart TV, mobile devices and tables, and desktop broswers. They are also accessible with a large amount of gaming consoles like the Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and Playstation, as well as smart home devices like the Amazon Echo Show. Check out the full list of supported devices here.
Interested in finding out more? Check out our full review of Hulu + Live TV here.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a newer internet TV service started by Google, and it is now available in most cities after an extended beta period throughout 2017. YouTube TV offers only a single subscription package, where you get around 100 channels, though this varies based on your location and available local affiliate channels.
For the price, you get a great lineup of channels. YouTube TV has Fox Sports, so you can easily watch all of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with this service. Other sports channels include NBCSN and several ESPN channels.
YouTube TV Spanish
Only $24.99 for the first 6 months
- Unlimited DVR space
- 6 accounts to share at home
- Stream on three screens
- 30+ Spanish channels
$34.99/month
YouTube TV
Only $54.99 for the first 3 months
- Unlimited DVR space
- 6 accounts for one price
- Stream on three screens
- 100+ live TV channels
$72.99/month
YouTube TV sets itself apart from the competition with its free and easy-to-use features.
First, you get the best DVR in the internet TV world for no extra cost. YouTube TV lets you record unlimited shows for up to 9 months with no other restrictions. You can also create a total of 6 user profiles, so it’s great for families.
You can stream on 3 different devices at once, which puts it ahead of services like Hulu With Live TV, and Fubo. This makes it easy to share your account.
YouTube TV has a good range of supported devices, such as TV streaming media players like Apply TV, Chromecast, Roku and Amazon Fire. They also support smart TV, Android and iOS mobile devices and tablets, and most desktop browsers. For game consoles, YouTube TV only supports Xbox One. Check out this article for a full list of supported devices. Not sure if YouTube TV is right for you? Read our full review for more info!
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage schedule
| Date | Time | Countries | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Our takeaway: You can watch the FIFA World Cup on DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV
There are plenty of ways you can watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Our top choice for watching the FIFA World Cup is DirecTV Stream. Beyond it being a great cable TV replacement, it also offers the most comprehensive suite of Regional Sports Networks of almost any other streaming service, and a ton of other great features for sports fans, like their upcoming “Sports Mode” feature.
We also recommend Fubo, Sling TV, YouTube TV, or Hulu + Live TV as other top choices for watching the FIFA World Cup. With any of these options, you’ll get FOX, FS1, Telemundo, and plenty of other live sports channels, so you’ll have full World Cup coverage and tons of other sports events to watch.
Desiree Wu • Author
Desiree is a full-time Honours Business Administration student at Ivey Business School at Western University. She also served as an Editorial Intern at Flixed. Desiree is based in London, Ontario.
Kelsey Reynolds • Editor
Kelsey is a content strategist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota. Kelsey was drawn to working at Flixed because the team was so open, motivated, and curious. She most enjoys thinking about how to blend programmatic and editorial content to answer readers’ questions as completely and efficiently as possible. When she’s not at her computer, Kelsey can usually be found working in her garden or walking her two dogs in the park.
How To Watch
Flixed.io's contributors and editorial team will often recommend products we believe to be useful for our readers. We may receive an affiliate commission from product sales generated through these affiliate links.