How to Livestream the 2022 FIFA World Cup Semifinals for Free
The World Cup semifinals have served up some of the most memorable matches in football history, and this year's tournament could follow a similar trend. Read on to learn how to livestream the 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinals for free and see Morocco vs France and Argentina vs Croatia.
Written by Samson Kiarie (Writer)
Reviewed by Aleksandar Kochovski (Editor)
Facts checked by Vildana Bratic (Video Editor, Fact-Checking Editor)
Last Updated: 2024-03-17T13:07:40+00:00
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
The FIFA World Cup 2022 tournament is on the home stretch to the Dec. 13 and Dec. 14 semifinals after weeks of the blockbuster group stage, round of 16 and quarterfinal games. Argentina is matched up with Croatia, while France is pitted against Morocco. This guide will show you how to livestream the 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinals for free.
Key Takeaways:
- You can livestream the World Cup semifinals for free on BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub and a number of streaming services in the United States.
- If you want to watch the World Cup semifinals for free with the above streaming platforms, you’ll need a VPN to get a local IP address.
- ExpressVPN is the best VPN for live streaming the World Cup 2022 semifinals. However, NordVPN is a cheaper alternative and Proton VPN is a free VPN but comes with limitations.
Morocco, France, Argentina and Croatia can almost see the finish line, but only two teams will be able to play in the World Cup finals. The desperation to reach the final could produce an even better spectacle than we’ve already witnessed.
Grab yourself the best VPN service, ExpressVPN, and keep reading to learn how to watch the semifinal games without paying a dime. Besides a step-by-step World Cup semifinals streaming guide, we’ll reveal the top three VPNs for World Cup games — including the best free VPN.
Where to Livestream the 2022 FIFA World Cup Semifinals for Free
You can find free streaming opportunities to watch the World Cup semifinals in both the U.S. and the U.K. Free options for watching the World Cup got a bit smaller when U.S. law enforcement authorities seized the domain names of streaming piracy sites. Our suggestions below are legal as well as free.
Stream With a US IP Address
After treating U.S. soccer fans to fantastic quarterfinal games, Fox Sports has vowed to keep the World Cup fever going. You can catch all the World Cup semifinal action on Fox on Tuesday, Dec. 13, and Wednesday, Dec. 14. The games will kick off at 2 p.m. (ET).
However, streaming Fox Sports online requires a subscription to Hulu, fuboTV, Sling, DirecTV, Pluto TV, Vidgo or YouTube TV. If you’re on a tight budget and want to watch the World Cup semifinals for free, many of these streaming platforms come with free trials, allowing you to watch the World Cup semifinals, third-place playoff and final while the trial lasts.
While you can’t livestream the semifinal games on Fox Sports app, you can catch full match replays of the games you missed.
Stream With a UK IP Address
If you’re in the U.K., you don’t have to grapple with subscriptions or free trials. You can livestream the semifinal games on BBC iPlayer or ITV Hub, and setting up an account with either platform is completely free. The matches will take place at 7 p.m. UTC (2 p.m. EST).
The free World Cup streaming options are available in the U.S. and U.K. However, a virtual private network (VPN) can help you access them regardless of your location. A VPN assigns you a unique IP address, making it appear as though you’re surfing from the U.K. or U.S. — even if you’re thousands of miles away.
World Cup Semifinals: Match Details
Below are the full 32 teams that competed in the World Cup, and which ones are moving on to the semifinals: Argentina, France, Morocco and Croatia.
| Group: | Nations |
|---|---|
| Group A | Ecuador, Qatar, Senegal, Netherlands |
| Group B | England, Iran, United States, Wales |
| Group C | Argentina, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Poland |
| Group D | Australia, Denmark, France, Tunisia |
| Group E | Costa Rica, Germany, Spain, Japan |
| Group F | Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia |
| Group G | Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon |
| Group H | Ghana, Portugal, South Korea, Uruguay |
Four teams are playing their penultimate game, with a chance to claim the grand prize or the consolation third place.
Tuesday, Dec 13 (7 p.m. UTC): Argentina vs Croatia
Messi seems to have found his creative spark, and his man-of-the-match performance against the Dutch should worry Croatia. However, the Croatians have one of the best defenses of the four semifinalists, with the central defense pairing of Lovren and Gvardiol proving a tough nut to crack.
It took 106 minutes for Brazil to find a way around the Croatian defense. The game went into a penalty shoot out that the Croatian goalkeeper inspired his team to a 3-1 victory. Are we about to witness the fall of yet another giant in the hand of Croatia?
Argentina can’t afford to allow Croatia to take this game to a penalty shoot out. Croatia has proven to be the masters of the penalty shoot out, winning four out of four shoot out in the last two World Cup editions. The action will take place at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
Wednesday, Dec 14 (7 p.m. UTC): France vs Morocco
No matter what happens, Morocco has already won in a sense — beating Belgium, Spain and Portugal isn’t a mean feat. The Atlas Lions became the first African nation to win a World Cup knockout game in 90 minutes and qualify for the semifinals.
However, France seems unrelenting in the quest to become the first nation to retain the World Cup in 60 years. Mbappe and Giroud are firing, but Morocco’s defense has conceded one goal all tournament: this is a test of wills.
Who will blink first — Morocco or France? There will be fireworks at the Al Bayt Stadium; if you’re not in Qatar, grab yourself a VPN and watch the game from the comfort of your home — see our step-by-step instructions below.
How to Livestream the 2022 FIFA World Cup Semifinals for Free From Anywhere
If you’re traveling abroad, we’ll help you access the free streaming services, like BBC iPlayer, back home. The guide is for you if you’re outside the U.K. or the U.S. and want to watch the World Cup semifinals for free. We’ll use ExpressVPN — the best VPN for streaming — to show you how to stream the games.
- Sign Up for the Best VPN for Streaming
Sign up for ExpressVPN or another VPN that has servers in a country where free FIFA World Cup coverage is available, such as the U.K. or U.S.
- Download and Install the VPN App
If you intend to watch the World Cup semifinals on your computer or smart TV, download and install the VPN app from the vendor’s official website. Install the VPN app from the Google Play Store or Apple’s app store to access the free FIFA stream on your smartphone.
- Connect the VPN
Once you complete the setup process, connect to a VPN server in a country where your free streaming service of choice is available, such as the U.S. or U.K.
- Watch World Cup 2022 Semifinals Uninterrupted
Do a DNS leak test to confirm that you have a U.K. or U.S. IP address. If everything seems OK, open a free streaming service such as BBC iPlayer and watch your team progress to the World Cup finals.
Make sure to cancel your subscription within 30 days to use the VPN for free.
Best VPN for Live Streaming the World Cup 2022 Semifinals
The best VPN for World Cup streaming should be fast, secure and able to unblock streaming services. While the services below tick these boxes, their features vary slightly, and their prices differ. We used them to access free World Cup streams, and here’s a recap of their performances.
1. ExpressVPN
Pros:
- Great unblocking ability
- Fast download speeds
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons:
- Pricey
ExpressVPN has perennially been the overall best VPN. We’ve used the service to stream games on BBC iPlayer, and each time it got us into the streaming platform on the first try. The story was the same with Hulu, Sling TV, YouTube TV and other streaming services.
Beyond its unmatched unblocking ability, ExpressVPN is one of the fastest VPNs. It streams the entire game without interruption, whether you’re connecting to a nearby server or one that’s several continents away. Plus, with unlimited data, you won’t worry about getting cut off during a game’s overtime or penalty shoot-outs.
Every VPN has a shortcoming; for ExpressVPN, that’s the price. The monthly plan costs $12.95, which is on the higher end of the pricing spectrum. You can lower the price significantly when you subscribe to a yearly plan, which works out to $6.66 per month. Read our ExpressVPN review to learn more or try it with the 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Unlimited GB
- 8
- Yes
2. NordVPN
Pros:
- Accesses World Cup streaming services
- Quick download speeds
- Affordable extended plans
Cons:
- Has had a server breach in the past
NordVPN and ExpressVPN are relatively similar in terms of quality and feature set, but the former is cheaper. However, NordVPN didn’t make it to the top of the list because we had to switch servers during some matches to access BBC iPlayer. Aside from that minor niggle, we had no problem unblocking other streaming services.
In addition, NordVPN offers lightning-fast download speeds, especially with NordLynx protocol (a proprietary version of WireGuard protocol). Whether you’re connected to a U.S. server from Australia or Asia, you’ll enjoy lag-free full HD or 4K streams. Like ExpressVPN, NordVPN offers unlimited bandwidth and data, so you won’t get cut off during a match-defining moment.
As mentioned, NordVPN is cheaper than ExpressVPN on extended plans. Its monthly plan is on the same echelon as our top pick at $12.99. The yearly plan is cheaper at $5.74 per month, and the two-year plan costs $3.48 per month. Learn more in our NordVPN review or test it with the 30-day money-back guarantee.
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
3. Proton VPN
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Unlimited data on free tier
- Unblocks World Cup streaming platforms
Cons:
- Puts free users on busiest servers
Proton VPN is the best free VPN, and could be right up your alley if you’re on a tight budget. The VPN service lets free users enjoy unlimited data — something you won’t get with other free VPNs. With unlimited data, you’ll stream the World Cup semifinals without getting cut off when your favorite player is about to take the game-winning spot-kick.
There are two quibbles, though. Proton VPN’s free tier only lets you use servers in the U.S., Japan and Netherlands. That means you can’t access BBC iPlayer, which requires a server in the U.K. Even if you find a free streaming service in one of the three countries, you’ll have to grapple with Proton’s slow speeds.
The VPN service puts free users on the busiest servers as a way to soft-cap your speed and encourage you to subscribe to a paid plan. Depending on how busy these servers are, streaming World Cup games in high definition and 4K quality might be difficult. Read our Proton VPN review to learn more.
- Unlimited GB
- 1
- Yes
- Unlimited GB
- 5
- Yes
Final Thoughts: World Cup Semifinals
Morocco is playing France, whereas Argentina is squaring off against Croatia. The two fixtures promise plenty of epic moments; going by the World Cup semifinals of previous years, this could be the moment this year’s tournament explodes.
If you want a VPN that won’t fail, we recommend using ExpressVPN. The VPN has proven time and again why it’s the best VPN for streaming, and it will unblock any streaming services you throw at it. NordVPN is a cheaper alternative, whereas Proton VPN is a good option if you’re hard up for cash.
Have you used a VPN to stream World Cup games this year? Which VPN service did you use? What did you like most about that VPN? Lastly, which teams do you think will progress to the World Cup finals this year? We’d like to hear about it in the comment section. As always, thanks for reading.
FAQ
Soccer fans around the world will get an opportunity to watch the World Cup semifinals on local free-to-air television services. If that option isn’t available in your country or you are traveling abroad, you can use a VPN to live stream the games on BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub and a host of U.S. streaming services.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for live streaming the 2022 World Cup semifinals, thanks to its blazing-fast speed and unparalleled ability to unblock streaming services.
The first World Cup semifinal 2022 game in the Middle East will be held in Lusail Icon Stadium on Tuesday, Dec.13, whereas the second will take place in Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday, Dec. 14.