How to Watch the FIFA World Cup Online for Free in 2024
The FIFA World Cup is never short of magical moments and pieces of insane football skills. If you don’t want to miss a single moment of brilliance, this World Cup live streaming guide is for you. Keep reading to learn how to watch the FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere by using a VPN.
Written by Samson Kiarie (Writer)
Reviewed by Jackie Leavitt (Chief Editor)
Facts checked by Vildana Bratic (Video Editor, Fact-Checking Editor)
Last Updated: 2024-04-01T17:47:51+00:00
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup has been mired in controversy over Qatar’s human rights violations, as well as the drama surrounding how it won the bid in the first place. However, we still expect the familiar dose of epic football, which is available to stream online. In this guide, we’ll show you how to watch the FIFA World Cup from anywhere, including live streaming options.
Key Takeaways:
- The FIFA World Cup 2022 starts Nov. 20 and runs through Dec. 18.
- If you’re traveling abroad, you’ll need a virtual private network (VPN) to access the sports streaming services you’ve subscribed to.
- If you want to watch the World Cup 2022 for free, you can use a VPN to access free streaming on the BBC iPlayer.
- ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming the 2022 FIFA World Cup. If you need a pocket-friendly service, NordVPN and Surfshark are great alternatives.
There’s a lot to look forward to with the World Cup 2022. Will France become the third nation to retain the much-coveted trophy? Will the Albiceleste be perfectly tuned for a victorious Messi’s last dance? Can Cristiano muster some magic to spur Portugal to glory?
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11/14/2022
Rewrote the article to include a step-by-step guide on how to use a VPN to stream the FIFA World Cup. Added three VPN services to help you get around streaming geoblocks.
How to Watch the FIFA World Cup: Live Streaming From Qatar
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will run from mid-November through mid-December; the group stages kick off on Nov. 20 and the finals will be held on Sunday, Dec. 18. FIFA has published the match schedule; you can check it out to know when your team is playing.
Here’s the FIFA World Cup schedule in a nutshell:
| Stages: | Dates: |
|---|---|
| Group stages | Nov. 20–Dec. 2 |
| Round of 16 knockout matches | Dec. 3–Dec. 6 |
| Quarterfinals | Dec. 9–Dec. 10 |
| Semifinals | Dec. 13–Dec. 14 |
| Third-place match | Dec. 17 |
| 2022 FIFA World Cup final | Dec. 18 |
How to Watch FIFA World Cup 2022 in the US
The Fox Network is broadcasting all 64 World Cup matches in the United States on Fox and Fox Sports 1 (FS1). Fox will broadcast 40 games and FS1 will stream 24 games — check out the Fox World Cup schedule to know where to watch your team’s fixtures.
USMNT group-stage games are available on Fox, including the much-anticipated Black Friday clash against England. With the tournament taking place in Qatar, the USMNT group games will kick off at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. However, other games will start early in the morning for most U.S. fans.
Fox and FS1 are available with traditional cable subscriptions and live TV streaming services, including YouTube TV, Sling TV, fuboTV, Hulu Live and DirecTV.
How to Watch FIFA World Cup 2022 in the UK
Due to Ofcom regulations, the FIFA World Cup games will be available on free-to-air television in the United Kingdom. BBC will broadcast 33 live World Cup matches, including Three Lions’ group stage fixtures against Iran and Wales, on TV and BBC iPlayer. Check out the BBC World Cup schedule to learn more.
ITV will air the remaining matches on TV and ITV Hub. The channel is rumored to have had the first pick, and it’s no surprise that it picked standout group stage fixtures, including the U.K.’s clash with the United States.
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.
Where Can I Watch Free Online FIFA Streams?
Fans in the U.K. can stream the FIFA World Cup games on BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub for free. Keep in mind that with a VPN, you can access U.K. streaming services from anywhere in the world.
If you’re in the U.S., there are a host of options. You can watch the first 12 games of the World Cup on Peacock’s free tier. In addition, the live TV streaming services we mentioned earlier come with free trials, enabling you to stream World Cup matches while the trials last.
Who Are the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers?
As is the norm, 32 teams are competing in this year’s FIFA World Cup. The teams are divided into eight groups as follows:
| Groups: | 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 |
Where Is the 2022 FIFA World Cup Being Held?
Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament in 2010, albeit controversially. Back in 2010, when Qatar won the World Cup hosting bid, allegations emerged about how the nation bribed its way to a successful bid.
Nevertheless, this made Qatar the first nation in the Middle East — and the smallest country — to ever host the World Cup. Confederations and human rights activists around the world, mounted pressure on FIFA to reverse its decision, but the soccer body stood its guard up on grounds that the accusations were false.
Now, days to the Qatar World Cup, the cat is out of the bag. The Netflix series dubbed FIFA Uncovered has unearthed the shady schemes Qatar used to win the bid. Sepp Blatter, the then FIFA boss, has come out to admit that awarding Qatar the berth was a huge mistake.
Considering the country’s intense summer heat, FIFA had to tweak the tournament’s schedule. This is the first World Cup not to take place in May, June or July. FIFA moved the tournament from its traditional dates to late November and mid-December, when the temperature in Qatar is a bit more bearable.
2022 FIFA World Cup: Live Streaming With a VPN for Free
In this section, we’ll show you how to use a VPN to unblock free live streaming options such as BBC iPlayer or access streaming services you’ve subscribed to back home. We will use ExpressVPN, the best VPN for streaming, in the following steps.
- Sign Up for a VPN for Streaming
Sign up for a VPN with servers in your home country or a country where free streams are available, such as the U.S. or U.K.
- Download and Install the VPN App
Download and install the VPN app for Windows, Mac or Linux from the provider’s official website. If you’ll be streaming the World Cup on your smartphone, install the app from Google’s Play store or Apple’s app store.
- Connect to a VPN Server
Open the VPN and complete the setup process. Connect to a server in your home country or one in a country with free live streams, such as the U.K.
- Watch FIFA World Cup Uninterrupted
Do a DNS leak test to confirm that the VPN assigned you an IP address in the country you chose. If everything looks OK, open the BBC iPlayer or your home streaming services to cheer on your favorite team.
You can use ExpressVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee as a free trial — just make sure to cancel the service before the month is up.
The Best VPN for FIFA World Cup Live Streaming
We picked the most secure VPNs to keep you safe, private and anonymous as you stream the 2022 World Cup games. However, these VPNs differ significantly on speed, unblocking ability and price, so read on to find the nitty-gritty details.
1. ExpressVPN
Pros:
- Great unblocking ability
- Blazing-fast connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons:
- Pricey
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming FIFA World Cup games, on merit. The VPN proved once again why its unblocking ability is unparalleled during our testing. It got us into World Cup streaming services, including Hulu Live, YouTube TV and BBC iPlayer, on the first attempt.
It’s one of the fastest VPN options for international download speeds. You can connect to a server in the U.S. from Europe or Asia and still enjoy 4K streams on the Fox Sports app. Plus, with unlimited bandwidth and data, you won’t get cut off when your team is about to take a match-defining spot kick.
However, ExpressVPN is pricey. The monthly plan costs $12.95, which is on the higher side of the pricing spectrum, but you can bring the price down to $6.66 per month when you subscribe to the yearly plan. If you’re still hesitant, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee to ease worries. Read our ExpressVPN review to learn more.
- Unlimited GB
- 8
- Yes
2. NordVPN
Pros:
- Unblocks all World Cup streaming services
- Lightning-fast downloads
- Cheap long-term plans
Cons:
- Had server breach previously
Our second pick, NordVPN, is nearly as good as ExpressVPN while being more affordable. It gets you into most streaming services on the first attempt, but in some cases, you may have to switch servers to unblock BBC’s iPlayer. Thankfully, switching servers is fast, particularly when using the NordLynx protocol.
When it comes to speed, there isn’t a faster VPN service in the market than NordVPN. The service has been posting consistently high international download speeds, which will come in handy when streaming the World Cup. If you’re connecting to a U.S. server from Australia, you won’t even notice the VPN is on, thanks to smooth, lag-free videos.
If you want to buy NordVPN just for the World Cup month, you’ll have to pay $12.99. However, if you need it as a long-term digital security and privacy solution, you’ll get significant discounts. The yearly plan goes for $5.74 per month, whereas the two-year plan costs $3.48 per month, making it NordVPN’s best deal. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee. Learn more in our full NordVPN review.
- *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. Surfshark
Pros:
- Fast download speeds
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Unblocks popular World Cup streaming services
Cons:
- Poor latency
Despite being relatively new, Surfshark has proven to be a reliable yet cheaper alternative to our top two picks. While it does not rival ExpressVPN’s unblocking ability, it will get you into your World Cup 2022 streaming services such as Hulu, BBC iPlayer or YouTube TV. It also supports unlimited simultaneous connections and is a great pick for football fans who want to split the bill.
Like NordVPN, Surfshark delivers lightning-fast international speeds. You’ll be particularly impressed by its high download speeds — ideal for lag- and buffer-free World Cup streams. You also get unlimited bandwidth, meaning the VPN speed won’t dip regardless of the number of connected devices.
Like our other two picks, Surfshark’s monthly pricing is expensive at $15.45. However, its long-term plans offer significant discounts: The one-year plan costs $3.49 per month and the two-year plan will set you back only $2.49 per month, making it the best deal. Learn more in our comprehensive Surfshark review, or try its 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Plans renew: $185.40 for one year, $370.80 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
- Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Plans renew: $191.40 for one year, $380.80 for two years.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Everything in One, plus Data removal Plans renew: $215.40 for one year, $430.80 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
Can I Use a Free VPN to Stream the FIFA World Cup Online?
Most free VPN services aren’t built with user security and privacy in mind. Some free VPNs collect and even sell your data to third parties, defeating the purpose of using a VPN. Read more about unscrupulous VPN services in our worst free VPN guide.
Even if you find a secure free VPN, chances are there will be usage limits to ruin your World Cup streaming experience. Take for example Proton VPN, our best free VPN. The Proton VPN free tier comes with unlimited data, which is rare for free VPN providers, but it soft-caps your speeds, making it impossible to stream in high quality. Read our full Proton VPN review.
On the other hand, Windscribe is one of the fastest free VPNs. However, the Windscribe free account comes with only 15GB of data, which is certainly not enough to stream all 64 World Cup games.
If you’re hard up for cash and want to stream all World Cup games without interruption, get a free trial from one of the top-tier providers. ExpressVPN and NordVPN come with a 30-day money-back guarantee that you can use as a month-long free trial. The World Cup is 29 days, so you could use the refund period to watch the whole tournament.
The Final Score: FIFA World Cup 2022
You don’t want to miss the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and if you want to watch it for free, make sure to sign up for a quality VPN with its money-back guarantee and tune in to the BBC iPlayer. Also, be sure to install your VPN app beforehand if you’re traveling to a country that bans VPNs, like Qatar.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming the World Cup, but NordVPN and Surfshark are cheaper alternatives. All three come with 30-day refund periods.
If you love sports, in general, not just soccer, we have comprehensive guides on how to FIFA Women’s World Cup, watch Australian Open, Masters Golf Tournament, Dayton 500, Indian Premier League cricket and other major sporting events.
Have you used a VPN to live stream a soccer game before? Which VPN service did you use? Will you be using a VPN to watch the 2022 FIFA World Cup online? Which team do you think will win this year’s tournament? Let us know in the comment below. As always, thank you for reading, and may your team win this year’s tournament.
FAQ
The World Cup will be available on local TV channels in most parts of the world. In the U.S. the games will be broadcast on Fox and Fox Sports 1, and both channels are available on Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV and fuboTV.
The World Cup will be available on free TV channels in most parts of the world. If such options aren’t available in your country, you can subscribe to a VPN to unblock services such as BBC iPlayer to watch the games for free.
Yes, the 2022 FIFA World Cup is on YouTube TV.