The 2026 FIFA World Cup is finally here, after a long four years since the tournament in Qatar. Held in the US, the World Cup will be available to stream from a variety of sources, but only a couple of options will let you watch in 4K.
Fox Sports is, once again, in charge of broadcasting the World Cup in the US. This leaves viewers with a few options to catch up on live and finished matches. In reality, little about how it’s being broadcast has changed over the time since the last tournament.
Fox is technically set up to deliver the World Cup in 4K. The caveat may be that local broadcasting and other bottlenecks mean the picture you get in your streaming app of choice may not actually be the high-resolution image your were promised. This happens quite often, but there’s a workaround.
Where and when to watch the World Cup
2026 FIFA World Cup matches will be available on a few different streaming platforms and cable services. Some are inherently more expensive, depending on how the service structures its sports packages.
Group A kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on June 11 with Mexico and South Africa, followed by South Korea and Czechia at 10 p.m. ET the following day. The tournament will run through July 19 when the final match is played at 3 p.m.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a good cable alternative, but it has some drawbacks. The main one seems to be price, and that price is anything but stable. Still, Google’s streaming service offers a standalone sports package that’s significantly less.
The Sport Plan launched earlier this year as an alternative to the $82.99 base plan. YouTube TV’s Sports Plan is $64.99/month (or $54.99/month for one year if you’re a new user). Fox isn’t the only broadcaster available, as ESPN networks and the NBC Sports Network are lumped in, too.
Becuase the World Cup spans a month, you may need to pay for two months of YouTube TV’s Sports Plan. It’s certainly cheaper than opting for the Base Plan.
Fubo
Fubo also has a sports package at $45.99 for the the initial month. Following months will cost $55.99. That includes access to Fox and FS1, which is where World Cup matches will show up.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu does not offer a standalone sports package. To get access to FS1 and Fox, users will need to sign up for the $89.99/month plan. New users get a three-day free trial, so do with that information what you will.
Sling
Sling’s Select Plan offers access to Fox channels for $19.99/month. Sling’s coverage seems to be a little more stringent, so be sure to check availability in your area first.
Fox One
This time around, Fox is offering access to its own streaming app – Fox One. If you don’t already have access to a streaming service, it’s a good place to start for the World Cup. It costs $20 for the month, and gives you access to all of the matches played.
Can you watch the World Cup in 4K?
Again, this one is determined by the streaming service. Even though Fox is sending a 4K signal to some, your service may only offer matches in 1080p.
Every match will be available in 4K on FOX One and most major Pay TV providers. Additionally, an unprecedented 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in primetime across FOX (21) and FS1(19).
Fox Corporation
The best way to get around this is by using the Fox One app. You can do this one of two ways. First, you can pay the $20/month fee to buy standalone access. Second, you can sign into Fox One with another provider’s credentials, granting you access to all of the games in 4K without paying for Fox One.
The second option is preferable, especially if you want to see the games in 4K and already have a streaming service set up. The same system works for ESPN coverage of the Stanley Cup, as YouTube TV only plays a 720p stream of ESPN’s 1080p coverage.
Fubo also appears to offer 4K streams, but it comes at an additional $5 add-on.
If you’re looking for the best price, Fox One is going to be your go-to. As long as the World Cup is all you’re looking for, it’s expected to provide the best picture without the cost of full access to other sports channels. If you want the best picture and already have a streaming subscription, the answer is also Fox One.
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