After four years of anticipation, the FIFA World Cup 2024 is well and truly underway. Play kicked off on Sunday 20 November with a match between host nation Qatar and Ecuador, and now the tournament is about to start the knockout stages. With the knockout stage beginning, and fans from across the world having a vested interest in seeing their team win, here’s how to watch the FIFA World Cup 2024 from anywhere in the world.
The Problem With Broadcasting Rights
The good news is that over 100 countries have secured the rights to broadcast the FIFA World Cup 2024.
However, the bad news is that many of these broadcast rights packages are limited, with the majority of countries and providers only showing select games or highlights. The reality is, selling the rights to broadcast the FIFA World Cup 2024 is big business, and FIFA is always looking to drive up scarcity to charge a high price for their products.
Bottom line, this means that some football fans, depending on where in the world they are based, will struggle to watch all of the matches that they want to watch. This is unless they have an expensive cable television subscription, which is out of reach for many football fans.
The Beauty of a VPN
Enter: The VPN.
This fantastic piece of technology is the football fan’s best friend over the next month, and instantly fixes the problem of limited broadcasting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2024 in a certain location. The thing is, a VPN for streaming lets you watch the matches where you are, without having to fork out for a pricey cable subscription.
Here’s how it works. What a VPN does is route your internet through a different internet provider of your choosing. Good quality VPNs will have a range of locations available worldwide to choose from, enabling users to select what IP address they have. Do this, and all of a sudden, streaming services and broadcasting companies view your computer as being in whatever geographical region you choose.
This means that if the match you want to watch isn’t available in your own country, all you need to do is switch on your VPN, select a country where it is being broadcast, and then set your VPN to that location. Straight away, you’ll be able to watch the match, without ever leaving the country.
How to Choose a VPN
Choosing a VPN is typically quite a straightforward process, as there are just a few variables to consider.
Firstly, you want to make sure that the VPN provides a decent enough connection to stream sports. Some VPNs, particularly free ones, will allow you to connect to different locations, but route your internet through slow servers, making watching sport very frustrating. Usually, VPNs will provide a free trial, so this is a great way of testing out what speed is available.
Secondly, make sure that the VPN has a good range of locations available. This can be seen on the VPN’s website usually, as most will advertise how many locations they provide access to. One thing to note is that some low-quality VPNs say that they offer a range of different locations, yet the servers they use are bad and can be detected by broadcasters. Be sure to get a free trial and check this in advance as well, or head to vpnpro.com and read their reviews on different VPNs.
Finally, select a VPN that will allow you to connect to a location which has the match you’re wanting to watch streaming free, or through a subscription you already have.
Best Countries for Streaming the FIFA World Cup 2024
As you’re deciding on a VPN, here are some of the details around broadcasting right that you might want to consider:
| Country | Broadcaster | Subscription Details |
| UK | ITV | 7-day free trial |
| BBC iPlayer | Free | |
| USA | Peacock Premium | 7-day free trial |
| Fox Sports | Subscription required | |
| fobuTV | 7-day free trial | |
| Telemundo Deportes app | Subscription required | |
| Middle East | beIN Sports | 10-day free trial |
| Australia | SBS | Free |
| New Zealand | SKY New Zealand | 7-day free trial |
| Canada | TSN | Subscription required |
| Germany | ARD/ZDF | Free |
| France | TF1 | Free |
| beIN Sports France | 10-day free trial |
As this table illustrates, if you’re a football fan based in Canada, you’ll be unable to watch the FIFA World Cup 2024 for free without a VPN. However, with a VPN, football fans in Canada can set their location to Germany, and watch their favourite games unfold on either ARD or ZDF completely free.
When you are choosing a VPN to watch the FIFA World Cup 2024 through, be sure to look out for one that has a good connection, and the ability to access one of these countries that are broadcasting the action free.
Big Games to Catch in the FIFA World Cup 2024
The FIFA World Cup 2024 is heading towards the business end of the tournament now, with the tournament going into its final stages.
Now that you’ve learnt about the beauty of using a VPN to watch FIFA World Cup 2024 matches from anywhere in the world, here are some matchups that are not to be missed between now and then, which will have a big impact on the rest of the tournament as the winners will decide some of the teams in the semifinals:
- Croatia vs. Brazil ( 9th December)
- Netherlands vs. Argentina ( 9th December)
- England vs. France (Group H, 10th December)
These games are all expected to be fantastic for different reasons. Croatia vs. Brazil will see the favourites from South America face off against the current world cup vice-champion. Netherlands vs. Argentina sees a group stage struggling Argentinian team fighting to take home that title that they have been desperate to regain since 1986. In the meantime, England will try and dethrone the current world champions from France to claim their spot in the final week of the tournament.
Make sure to get your VPN sorted and tune in to watch these games and many more no matter where you are.