World Cup 2018: How to stream today’s games in any language

Do you want to live stream today’s World Cup matches online? In this post, we’ll be letting you know which teams are playing, what time each fixture starts, and where you can watch World Cup games today. We’ll also be explaining how you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to bypass geographic content restrictions and catch every moment of the action. This means you’ll be able to watch every 2018 World Cup game from the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Spain or any other country in the world.

You should note that we’ll only be recommending official sources. Unlicensed World Cup streams are inevitable, but somewhat pointless since the tournament is being broadcast (at least in part) for free across the world. As unofficial streams are often low-quality, low-resolution, and prone to sudden takedowns, they provide a truly inferior experience and aren’t worth your time.

See also: How to watch the World Cup Final free online

FIFA World Cup live streaming: use a VPN

Major broadcasters are usually only licensed to show their content in specific countries, which is why you’ll sometimes see a “This content is not available in your region” message on streaming sites. However, by using a VPN, it’s possible to spoof your location and trick sites into believing you’re located within their broadcast area. Of course, you’ll have to connect to the right server for any given service; for instance: a British server might unblock the BBC iPlayer, but you’d need an American server to watch ESPN.

Apr 2024

We recommend watching the 2018 World Cup with ExpressVPN. It has over 2000 servers spread throughout 94 countries, and most are fast enough to stream live HD video without any noticeable lag. ExpressVPN is secure, too: it uses 256-bit encryption and doesn’t log any of your activities. As you can connect up to three devices at once, it’s perfect for securing all your most commonly used devices.

BEST VPN FOR STREAMING THE WORLD CUP:ExpressVPN is our #1 Choice. With a vast server network that is optimized for high-speed connections, it’s perfect for watching the World Cup. User-friendly apps for all operating systems. Hard to beat on privacy and security. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free.

How to watch today’s World Cup games with a VPN

1. Decide which VPN you’d like to use. ExpressVPN is excellent for streaming, but NordVPN and CyberGhost are two versatile, low-cost alternatives.
2. Sign up on the VPN provider’s site.
3. Download and install the appropriate version of the VPN software for your device.
4. Choose a source from the list below.
5. Connect your VPN to a server in the chosen source’s broadcast region.
6. Try to load a video from the source. You should be able to watch without any errors appearing.

Which World Cup games are on today?

Today is July 15, which can only mean one thing: it’s the day of the World Cup Final. France face off against Croatia tonight in what’s sure to be an extremely memorable match. While many assume France will win, Croatia have been underestimated before, so they’ll be giving this game everything they’ve got. That said, they’ll need to put an emphasis on defence if they don’t want France to score from their lightning-quick counter plays. France, meanwhile should prioritize corner defence since Croatia are deadly from set-pieces.

Tonight’s World Cup Final is between France vs. Croatia, at 4PM BST (8AM PST/ 11AM EST).

Which World Cup games are on tomorrow?

There are no further 2018 World Cup games.

Where can I watch World Cup matches today?

The World Cup is a huge event, and is being heavily covered in most countries. We’ve listed these for some of the relevant areas below. However, if we haven’t mentioned your country specifically, you can find your nation’s broadcasters here.

UK

ITV shares 2018 World Cup broadcasting rights with the BBC. Each service will show half of the matches, which means you can watch every game of the tournament on either the ITV Hub or BBC iPlayer. If you’d like to access all the World Cup content in one place, you could also use TVPlayer.com, a site with fully legal BBC1 and ITV live streams.

Note that while these services require a UK TV License to watch, they don’t actually have any kind of verification process. Also, the BBC have been aggressively blocking VPNs, and as such, there are just a few that work consistently. If you’re having trouble watching content. try asking your VPN provider which server to use.

Both BBC and ITV will have English commentary.

USA

There are two official World Cup broadcasters in the US: Fox Sports and Telemundo Deportes.

Fox allows you to watch the World Cup live online at no additional cost if it’s included in your cable TV or over-the-top subscription package. If you subscribe to any of the services below, you can start streaming right away for free:

• DirecTV Now
• fubo TV
• Hulu with Live TV
• PlayStation Vue
• Sling TV
• YouTube TV

If you don’t already have Fox, you can sign up for a SoccerMatchPass. This costs $19.99 a month but includes a seven-day free trial. As the World Cup only lasts for a month, you can always cancel afterwards if you don’t want to keep the service.

Telemundo Deportes, on the other hand, is making all of its games available for free until June 25. Usually, you’d need a cable package that includes NBC Sports to sign in, which makes it extremely difficult for foreign users to sign up.

Fox Sports and Telemundo Deportes will both be showing every 2018 World Cup game. However, Fox Sports will be in English while Telemundo Deportes will be in Spanish.

Croatia

The only official Croatian broadcaster of the 2018 World Cup is HRT. You can catch every second of the World Cup Final live and for free on HRT2, although you will have to create an account first.

HRT will broadcast tonight’s match with Croatian commentary.

France

France’s TF1 will show the France vs. Croatia game live online. This service is free-to-watch, although you will have to register before you can stream anything.

If you’re in Africa, you may be able to watch via Canal+. It’s broadcasting French-language World Cup coverage to various African countries including Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon, and Côte d’Ivoire. There are several packages available, but to watch the World Cup, you should expect to pay the equivalent of around $18 a month.

All of the sources above will show the World Cup with French commentary.

FIFA World Cup 2018 FAQs

Can I sign up for foreign streaming services?

Some streaming services such as Netflix allow you to sign up from several different locations, but they change their content libraries depending on where you are. More often, though, a service will simply prevent your from signing up. They might do this by requiring a payment method that’s registered in a specific country, or by asking for proof of address.

Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to get around these requirements. There’s usually a more easily accessible alternative, and this is especially true when it comes to the World Cup. Almost every country is showing this tournament, so there’s almost certainly a local source you could use instead.

Do I need a VPN if there’s a free stream in my country?

Although VPNs can be used to bypass regional content restrictions, their primary use is to keep your online activities private. When you connect to a VPN, your network traffic is encrypted. This prevents hackers, network administrators, and even your Internet Service Provider (ISP) from tracking the sites you visit, the links you click, and the text you type.

In the past, we’ve seen ISPs limit their customers’ network speeds in an attempt to discourage streaming. Since a VPN stops them from proving that’s what you’re doing, this kind of throttling becomes more difficult to justify. As such, using a VPN could actually improve your World Cup streaming experience.

How does the FIFA World Cup work?

Back in 2015, 209 countries picked their best players and created their national soccer squads. These squads then faced off against each other in a knockout tournament until just 32 were left. Each team was then assigned to one of eight four-team groups, labelled Group A through Group H.

Now, each team plays against every other team in their group. The team that wins is given three points (or one if they draw) and after all the matches are over, the two teams at the top of the leaderboard progress to a secondary knockout stage. The remaining squads then face off until only one remains: the 2018 World Cup champions.

Title image: Brazilian Audience, Caio Resende.