Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live stream — How to watch AFCON semi-final game online today, team news
The improving Elephants face the Leopards for a final spot
The Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live stream today is the second of the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 semi-finals. The Elephants have grown into their home tournament after a nearly fatal group stage, while the Leopards have impressed throughout. This repeat of the 2015 semi – won by Ivory Coast – could be a classic and you can watch it from anywhere with a VPN.
The teams are in and Ivory Coast start with Willy Boly, Max Gradel and Simon Adingra all in from the off. Sebastien Haller also starts. For DR Congo, Chancel Mbemba, Arthur Masuaku and Yoane Wissa all start with a fine starting XI. Meschack Lina is also in from the off.
The Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live stream takes place Feb. 7.
► Time 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 7 a.m. AEDT (Feb. 8)
• FREE — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
• U.K. — Sky Sports
• U.S. — beIN Sports via SlingTV, FuboTV or Fanatiz
• Watch anywhere — try ExpressVPN 100% risk free
You'd have got long odds of Ivory Coast making it the AFCON 2023 semi-finals after their 4-0 group stage defeat to Equatorial Guinea two weeks ago. But, after sneaking through in the last third-placed spot available, the Elephants have since knocked out defending champions Senegal on penalties, then scored in the last minute of regulation and extra time to beat Mali 2-1 in a pulsating quarter-final. Sebastien Haller has found his fitness. Franck Kessie's midfield legs have impressed.
DR Congo have been tough to beat this tournament, but victories in regulation time have been hard to come by. Chancel Mbemba, Yoane Wissa and Arthur Masuaku struck against Guinea and will need to fire again if they're to reach a first continental final since winning the tournament in 1974 (as Zaire).
Do Ivory Coast have anything left in their legs after going the distance in both knockout games? Can DR Congo reach a first final for 50 years? Read on to find out how you can take in all the action and watch AFCON 2023 from anywhere today.
How to Watch FREE Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live streams
Football fans in the U.K. can watch the Ivory Coast vs DR Congo free on BBC Three and on BBC iPlayer. This is a free service but you should have a valid U.K. TV license. It's one of 10 fixtures that will be free-to-air on the BBC, including both semi-finals and the final.
If you're not currently in the U.K., and have a valid TV license, you can still watch a Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN.
How to watch Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live streams from around the world
A VPN, or virtual private network, makes it look as if you're surfing the web from your home country, rather than the one you're in. That means you can access the streaming services you already pay for, from anywhere on Earth. Or anywhere that has an internet connection, at least.
For instance, a Brit who's currently in the U.S. could watch Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live streams on the BBC iPlayer, even though they're not in the U.K.
They're totally legal, inexpensive and easy to use. We've tested lots of the best VPN services and our favorite right now is ExpressVPN. It's fast, works on loads of devices and even offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Speed, security and simplicity combine to make ExpressVPN our favorite VPN service. In our testing, we were impressed by its fast connection times and by its ability to access more than 3,000 services in 160 locations across 94 countries. A 30-day money-back guarantee is another bonus.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, ExpressVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view a U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to BBC iPlayer or another service and watch the game.
How to watch an Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live stream in the U.S.
Soccer fans in the U.S. will want beIN Sports to catch the AFCON 2023 live streams, including Ivory Coast vs DR Congo, and there are plenty of ways to tune in.
beIN Sports is available through most cable packages as well as some of the best cable TV alternatives, including Sling TV, Fubo.TV, YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV.
For cord-cutters, one option is Sling TV. The Sling Blue package is priced from $40 per month and it comes with more than 30 channels including USA. New users often get a discount on their first month.
Fubo costs $75 per month for 121 channels and includes beIN Sports, plus ESPN, NBC and plenty of others besides. It also offer a 7-day free trial.
There's also Fanatiz, which costs $9.99 and provides access to the AFCON 2023 live streams.
If you already use those services but aren't in the U.S. right now, you can watch Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live streams by using a VPN such as ExpressVPN. And if, for whatever reason, you can't get it working, do remember that you have the comfort of a 30-day money back guarantee with ExpressVPN.
Sling TV offers two packages, both of which start from $40 a month. The Sling Blue plan comes with 30-plus channels, including beIN Sports for the AFCON 2023 live streams, . New users often get 50% off their first month.
If you love sports, you might want to check out Fubo. For $75 a month, it's got dozens of sports channels, including beIN Sports (plus ESPN and plenty of others), and offers a 7-day free trial.
Another option to watch an AFCON 2023 live stream Fanatiz. The international service offers beIN Sports as part of its Front Row plan, which costs $9.99 a month and provides access to AFCON 2023, as well as a gaggle of Latin American sports continent including international football matches from Brazil and Argentina.
You can stream Fanatiz coverage via your mobile, Amazon Fire TV and stick, Android TV, Apple TV, Hisense TV, Google Chromecast, Airplay, PC and Mac with any web browser.
How to watch an Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live stream in the U.K.
Thanks to a late deal, the BBC has secured the rights to show 10 AFCON 2023 games for free on BBC Three and on BBC iPlayer as well. These include both semi-finals, including Ivory Coast vs DR Congo and the final.
Sky Sports is showing all 52 matches of AFCON 2023, including an Senegal vs Ivory Coast live stream. If you already have a Sky subscription that doesn't include Sports, you'll need to pay £18/month to add those channels.
Whichever package you go for, you'll also gain access to coverage in 4K and HDR, so long as you also have an HDR-ready Sky Q box and HLG-compatible TV.
Sky Glass is another option. This gives you Sky TV within a 4K TV that has a built-in Dolby Atmos soundbar, and without the need for a dish. Prices start at £13/month for the TV, plus a sky sub on top of that.
If you don't want to shell out for a full Sky subscription, you could also consider its Now Sports streaming service. This gives you 24-hour access for £11.99 or month-long access for £34.99.
All sounds great, right? But if you're not in the UK, you can still follow an Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN.
How to watch Ivory Coast vs DR Congo in Canada
Canadians can watch an Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live stream on Fubo, which is also the home of Premier League soccer in Canada.
For just CAN$24.99 a month, you'll get access to the Essentials plan, which gets you AFCON 2023 matches via beIN Sports, all Premier League matches, all Serie A matches plus 29 channels including MLB Network. The $39.99 Premium plan adds 20 entertainment channels and more on top of that.
Canadians stuck abroad that still want their low-price alternative can use a VPN such as ExpressVPN to trick their streaming device into thinking it's back in the great white north.
How to watch Ivory Coast vs DR Congo in Australia
If you want to watch an Ivory Coast vs DR Congo live stream from Australia you'll need to have access to beIN Sports. This can be added to your TV package, or you can sign up for beIN as a separate subscription. This costs $19 per month or $179 for the year.
Alternatively, you can opt for Kayo Sports which includes beIN in its package. Kayo also offers a two-week trial, and after your free 14 days, a basic plan costs $25 a month, while a Premium subscription is a little more expensive at $35.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use ExpressVPN to watch all the action on your travels as if you were back home.
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Andy Murray is an award-winning sports writer and columnist. A fluent Spanish speaker and former semi-professional footballer, he was senior staff writer of world-leading football magazine FourFourTwo for seven years and continues to write and edit for them, national newspapers, websites and Premier League clubs. He is not a famous tennis player.