⚽ The 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US: June 11 to July 19
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs Thursday, June 11 through Sunday, July 19. The opener is Mexico vs South Africa in Mexico City; the Final is at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The US is one of three host countries alongside Canada and Mexico, with 78 of the 104 matches played across 11 US host cities including New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle.
The USMNT is in automatically as a host nation and opens against Paraguay on Friday, June 12 at 9 p.m. ET.
The FIFA World Cup is sold on a country-by-country basis, and US broadcast rights for the 2026 tournament sit with Fox Sports for English-language coverage and Telemundo for Spanish-language coverage. This guide lists every official US route to the 104 matches — over-the-air, free streaming, paid streaming, cable-replacement bundles, and 4K — with prices verified on each operator's own page.
If you travel during the tournament, VPN Super can help keep your existing streaming Account secure on public Wi-Fi at hotels, airports, and cafés. More on that further down.
Every 2026 World Cup US streaming option at a glance
A US viewer has six official routes to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Every price below was verified on the operator's own page on 13 May 2026.
Over-the-air and zero-cost streaming
- Antenna (over-the-air): $0 ongoing after a one-time $25–$40 indoor HD antenna. Picks up the local Fox affiliate (English) and the local Telemundo affiliate (Spanish). Covers all 69 Fox-network matches plus every Telemundo match. HD, not 4K.
- Tubi: $0. Two group-stage matches only — Mexico vs South Africa (June 11) and USA vs Paraguay (June 12). English commentary. No account required.
- Peacock Select ($7.99 a month, ads): The two opening matches in Spanish at no extra cost. After that, on-demand replays only on this tier — no further live matches.
Paid streaming for every match
- Peacock Premium: $10.99 a month, with ads. All 104 matches live in Spanish, plus a Spanish-language World Cup Hub with multi-view and alternate camera angles.
- Peacock Premium Plus: $16.99 a month, ad-free outside of in-broadcast advertising. Same 104 Spanish-language matches. Selected matches in 4K HDR.
- Fox One: $19.99 a month or $199.99 for 12 months (an effective $16.67 a month annual). Every Fox, FS1, and FS2 match in English. The only direct-to-consumer English-language route to Fox's 4K HDR broadcasts on supported devices. No free trial available as of 13 May 2026.
- Fubo Pro: $45.99 the first month, then $55.99 a month. Bundles Fox, FS1, FS2, ESPN Unlimited, NHL, NBA, MLB, and college sports.
- YouTube TV: $82.99 a month. 100+ channels including Fox, FS1, FS2, Telemundo, unlimited DVR.
- Sling Blue: From $40 a month. Includes Fox in selected markets only — check the postcode lookup on sling.com before signing up.
The cheapest live-every-match English option is Fox One on the annual plan ($16.67 a month effective). The cheapest live-every-match Spanish option is Peacock Premium at $10.99 a month — that undercuts Fox One by $9 a month. For households that already have a cable plan including Fox Sports, the Fox One app signs in with a TV-provider login at no extra cost.
The Fox Sports route for English commentary
Fox is the exclusive English-language US rights-holder for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The split across Fox's networks is:
How the 104 matches split across Fox networks
- Fox (broadcast network): 69 matches. Every USMNT group match (June 12, 19, 25), every quarterfinal, both semifinals, the third-place match, and the Final on Sunday, July 19. Free-to-air over the antenna or via the local-channel feeds on YouTube TV, Fubo, and Hulu + Live TV.
- FS1: 35 matches. Most second and third group-stage games. Cable, cable replacement bundle, or Fox One.
- FS2: Selected matches plus pre- and post-match coverage. Cable, cable-replacement bundle, or Fox One.
For Fox-network matches, a one-time $25–$40 indoor antenna pays for itself before the group stage ends. Point the antenna toward your nearest Fox transmitter — rabbitears.info shows the bearing. Most homes within 30 miles of a Fox affiliate pick up a clean 1080i signal. For the FS1 and FS2 matches that don't air over the antenna, Fox One is the cheapest standalone path; a cable-replacement bundle is the path if you also want ESPN, college sports, or a wider channel lineup year-round.
The Telemundo and Peacock route for Spanish commentary
Telemundo, owned by NBCUniversal, holds the exclusive US Spanish-language rights to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The split between Telemundo's free-to-air broadcast and the Peacock streaming app:
Telemundo and Peacock — Spanish coverage breakdown
- Telemundo (broadcast): Free-to-air on the local Telemundo affiliate. Every USMNT match, the Final, and a wide selection of group-stage matches.
- Universo (cable): Spanish-language Telemundo sister channel carrying additional group-stage matches.
- Peacock Premium ($10.99 a month): All 104 matches live in Spanish. Interactive features modelled on the Olympics app — multi-view, alternate camera angles, in-game stats.
- Peacock Premium Plus ($16.99 a month): Same 104 matches, ad-free outside the in-broadcast ads. Selected matches in 4K HDR.
- Peacock Select ($7.99 a month): Only the two opening matches live. After that, on-demand replays plus the Spanish-language World Cup Hub.
For the 40 million-plus Spanish speakers in the US (per the Census Bureau's American Community Survey), Peacock Premium at $10.99 a month is the cheapest live-every-match streaming option in either language. The Telemundo broadcast on the local affiliate is the lowest-cost route overall.
The 2026 World Cup Final on July 19
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final is Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey — referred to as New York/New Jersey Stadium during the tournament under FIFA's branding rules. The Final airs on Fox in English and Telemundo in Spanish, with both available free-to-air over an indoor HD antenna. The Final is among the matches confirmed in 4K HDR through Fox One on supported devices, including Apple TV 4K, Roku Ultra, and recent Samsung and LG smart TVs.
USMNT 2026 group schedule
The USMNT, automatically qualified as a host, plays its three group matches on:
- Friday, June 12 — USA vs Paraguay, 9 p.m. ET
- Friday, June 19 — USA vs second group opponent, time TBC by FIFA
- Thursday, June 25 — USA vs third group opponent, time TBC by FIFA
All three USMNT group matches air on Fox in English and Telemundo in Spanish, with both free-to-air over an antenna. Knockout-stage USMNT fixtures depend on group finish and will be confirmed by FIFA on June 27 once the group stage closes.
Where a VPN fits into the World Cup for US viewers
A VPN is a privacy tool. It encrypts your internet connection so that public Wi-Fi networks, your internet provider, and other parties on the network can't see what you're doing online. Three practical reasons to run one during the tournament:
Privacy use cases for the World Cup
- Streaming over public Wi-Fi while travelling. If you're at a host-city hotel, an airport lounge, or a café and want to catch a kickoff on your own paid streaming Account, a VPN keeps the session encrypted on a network you don't control. VPN Super's streaming VPN is tuned for live video.
- Stopping your ISP from throttling video. Some US internet providers slow video traffic during peak evening hours. A VPN hides the type of traffic so a live stream is treated the same as any other connection.
- Keeping your streaming Account safer. A VPN reduces the metadata exposed to other parties on shared networks when you Sign in to your Fox One, Peacock, Fubo, or YouTube TV Account during the tournament.
A VPN is not a way around broadcaster geo-restrictions. FIFA World Cup broadcast rights are sold on a country-by-country basis, and most broadcaster Terms of Service prohibit using a VPN to access content outside the licensed territory. Use the official rights-holder for the country where you live.
Respect broadcaster terms: FIFA sells World Cup rights on a territory basis, and broadcasters including Fox Sports, Telemundo, and Peacock explicitly prohibit using tools to alter or mask location to access their service. Use the official rights-holder for the country where you live.
A VPN won't unlock paid services without billing: Peacock and Fox One both check the billing-address country at sign-up, not just the IP. Connecting to a server in another country doesn't change which payment methods a service accepts.
A weak home connection isn't a VPN problem: HD streaming needs roughly 5 to 8 Mbps. Fox One 4K needs 25 Mbps minimum and 50 Mbps for stable playback. A VPN won't fix a line that tops out below those thresholds.
Setup checklist before the June 11 opener
- Pick your route. Antenna for free-to-air Fox-network matches, Peacock Premium for every Spanish-language match, Fox One for every English match plus FS1, FS2, and 4K, or Fubo Pro / YouTube TV / Sling Blue for a wider live-TV bundle.
- Buy your antenna or sign up at least 48 hours before kickoff. Fox One and Peacock take about five minutes to activate. Cable-replacement bundles can take a billing day to fully provision.
- Install VPN Super on the devices you'll watch on. Apps available for Windows, iOS, and Android. VPN Super's US server network sits across all the major Fox affiliate regions.
- Test the opener. Mexico vs South Africa on Thursday, June 11 at 3 p.m. ET is your dress rehearsal. If your setup works for that match, the USMNT opener on June 12 will work too.
- Check your device if you want 4K. Fox One 4K HDR requires Apple TV 4K, Roku Ultra (4K models), or a recent 4K smart TV. Older Roku and Fire TV sticks cap out at 1080p.
🔒 Stream with privacy during the tournament
Install VPN Super on the devices you'll watch on. Connect before you Sign in to your streaming Account so the session is encrypted from the start.
- No activity logs. End-to-end encryption.
- Apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux.
- Split Tunneling so you can keep a separate audio stream on your home connection while video runs through the VPN.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US?
Watch on Fox (English) or Telemundo (Spanish) over the antenna, or on Fox One, Peacock Premium, Fubo Pro, YouTube TV, or Sling Blue for streaming. Tubi streams the two opening matches at no cost in English; Peacock Select includes the same two matches in Spanish.
What channel is the 2026 World Cup on in the US?
Fox carries 69 matches on the main Fox broadcast network, with FS1 carrying 35 more and FS2 carrying selected matches and shoulder programming. Telemundo carries the Spanish-language broadcast, with Universo carrying additional Spanish-language fixtures.
How do I stream the 2026 World Cup in the US without cable?
Fox One ($19.99 a month or $199.99 for 12 months) is the cheapest standalone English-language streaming option for every match. Peacock Premium ($10.99 a month) is the cheapest standalone Spanish-language option. Fubo Pro, YouTube TV, and Sling Blue are the cable-replacement bundles that carry Fox plus other channels.
Will the 2026 World Cup be on Netflix?
No. The 2026 World Cup is not on Netflix in any market. US rights belong to Fox Sports (English) and Telemundo (Spanish) under a FIFA deal running through the 2026 tournament.
Will Peacock stream the 2026 World Cup?
Yes — in Spanish. Peacock Premium ($10.99 a month) and Premium Plus ($16.99 a month) stream all 104 matches live in Spanish, with selected matches in 4K on Premium Plus. The Select tier ($7.99 a month) gets only the two opening matches live, plus on-demand replays and the Spanish-language World Cup Hub.
Will YouTube TV carry the 2026 World Cup?
Yes. YouTube TV at $82.99 a month carries Fox, FS1, FS2, and Telemundo — every English and Spanish match. The bundle includes 100+ channels and unlimited DVR.
Is the 2026 World Cup on Fox One?
Yes. Fox One carries every match that airs on Fox, FS1, and FS2 in English — that's the full English-language slate. It's $19.99 a month or $199.99 for 12 months, with no free trial available as of 13 May 2026. Fox One is also the only direct-to-consumer English route to Fox's 4K HDR broadcasts.
Can I watch the 2026 World Cup over the antenna?
Yes. A one-time $25–$40 indoor HD antenna picks up the local Fox affiliate (English) and the local Telemundo affiliate (Spanish), covering all 69 Fox-network matches and every Telemundo match without any subscription. HD, not 4K.
When and where is the 2026 World Cup Final?
Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, branded as New York/New Jersey Stadium during the tournament. The Final airs on Fox (English) and Telemundo (Spanish), both available free-to-air over an antenna. Fox One carries the Final in 4K HDR on supported devices.
Did the USA qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
Yes. The USMNT qualified automatically as one of three host countries (alongside Canada and Mexico). The USA opens against Paraguay on Friday, June 12 at 9 p.m. ET.
Can I use a VPN to watch the World Cup in another country?
No. Broadcaster Terms of Service, including Peacock's and Fox One's, prohibit using tools to alter or disguise your location to access content outside the licensed territory. Use the official broadcaster for the country where you live.
Why would I use a VPN during the World Cup, then?
For privacy. A VPN encrypts your connection on public Wi-Fi while you travel, helps prevent ISP throttling of video traffic during peak hours, and reduces the metadata exposed to other parties on shared networks when you Sign in to your streaming Account.
How fast does my internet need to be for the World Cup stream?
HD streaming on any of these services needs roughly 5 to 8 Mbps of stable bandwidth. Fox One 4K HDR needs at least 25 Mbps, with 50 Mbps recommended for stable playback. A VPN won't fix a connection that tops out below those thresholds.
Does VPN Super work with Fox One and Peacock?
VPN Super is designed to keep your existing US Account secure while you travel. It runs on a USA server network (browse the full server list) plus apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. It will not let you create a new Fox One or Peacock Account from outside the US — both services check the billing-address country, not just the IP.
How can I watch World Cup matches with commentary from other countries?
BBC iPlayer and ITVX carry the World Cup free-to-air in the UK; SBS On Demand carries all 104 matches free-to-air in Australia. Both are tied to local accounts. If you travel internationally and want to keep your home US Account working, run VPN Super on the device you're streaming from — the goal is keeping your own US subscription secure, not accessing foreign broadcasters. VPN Super UK servers and Australia servers are part of the broader network.
