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How to watch FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA: stream games live for free

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Mauricio Pochettino has assembled an eye-catching roster for the co-hosts

Christian Pulisic #10 of the U.S. stands at the national anthem during a game between Senegal and the U.S. at Bank of America Stadium on May 31, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
(Image credit: Robin Alam/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
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If reaching the knockouts four times since the turn of the century has raised expectations of the USMNT in general, co-hosting the 2026 World Cup has cranked everything up several notches. The pressure is beginning to show on Mauricio Pochettino, who's cut a cranky figure of late, but the more the Argentine is able to absorb, the better for his star players, most notably Christian Pulisic.

The team's captain and poster boy has tightened up considerably of late, producing just two assists for his club side AC Milan this calendar year. It's a concerning slump, but his attacking stablemates Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright are each coming off superb campaigns.

Whisper it, but the surprising selection of Alejandro Zendejas — the livewire Club América No.10 — feels like a Plan B should Pulisic continue to struggle for form. They should be well-covered. It's in the center of the park that the USMNT look threadbare.

Tyler Adams is the only out-and-out defensive midfielder on the roster, while Pochettino has selected no fewer than 10 defenders. The omissions of both Tanner Tessmann and Aidan Morris came as a huge shock considering Adams' long history of injuries, and while Weston McKennie can drop back to provide cover, that seems a waste of Juventus' all-time third-highest Champions League goalscorer's offensive talents.

In this article, we outline the World Cup broadcasters in the USA and what you need to do if you're overseas and want to watch "The Stars and Stripes" — including free live streams. Keep scrolling for USA's fixtures, roster and more.

▶︎ More: Tom's Guide to the World Cup

How to watch World Cup 2026 in the USA

Fans based in the U.S. are getting a rawer deal than most, because all 104 games of the 2026 World Cup — including every USMNT tie and even the final — are locked behind a paywall.

In most countries, every single game is free-to-air. More on this below.

70 games are being televised on FOX, including every USMNT group game and 30 out of 32 knockout round ties.

34 games are being televised on FS1, including two ties from the Round of 32.

How To Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for FREE! | Streaming Guide - YouTube How To Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for FREE! | Streaming Guide - YouTube
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If you've already cut the cord and don't have a cable package, you can tune in live via an OTT cable TV alternative.

Sling will give you the most bang for your buck. Sling Blue includes local network affiliates from FOX, NBC and ABC (availability varies by market), plus FS1, USA network, FX and more. Prices start at $46/month, but you'll get 50% off your first month.

YouTube TV, Fubo, Hulu With Live TV and the DirecTV Stream MySports Genre Pack will get you comprehensive World Cup 2026 coverage too.

All 104 fixtures will also be available to live stream on FOX One, which costs $19.99/month or $199.99/year after a 3-day FREE trial.

US fans can watch their World Cup opener for free on Fox-owned streaming service Tubi as well.

If you have a subscription but you're not in the U.S. right now, try using Norton VPN to watch World Cup 2026 as if you were back at home.

Watch 2026 World Cup live streams for FREE

As mentioned above, whereas American soccer supporters have no choice but to pay for a subscription in order to tune into their home World Cup, fans around the world are getting wall-to-wall free coverage.

They include:

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Country

Broadcaster / Platform

🇬🇧 UK

ITV or BBC

🇦🇺 Australia

SBS On Demand

🇧🇷 Brazil

CazéTV (YouTube)

🇧🇪 Belgium

RTBF / VRT

🇮🇪 Ireland

RTÉ Player

🇳🇱 Netherlands

NOS

🇨🇭 Switzerland

SRF Play / RTS Play / RSI Play

🇹🇷 Turkey

TRT

Visiting America from one of these countries for the World Cup? Unlock your free stream using Norton VPN.

How to watch World Cup 2026 from anywhere

If you're away from the USA and try to watch your your usual 2026 FIFA World Cup live streams, you'll quickly find that they're blocked. It's the same for viewers from the U.K., Australia and Ireland wanting to watch their coverage.

Fortunately, you can still stream every single game live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software makes your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. Ideal for soccer fans away on vacation or on business. Our favorite streaming VPN is Norton VPN.

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World Cup 2026 in the USA: FAQ

What and when are USMNT's group fixtures at World Cup 2026?

USA will play three Group D fixtures:

Friday, June 12
9 p.m. ET — USA vs Paraguay | FOX, BBC iPlayer, SBS On Demand, RTÉ Player

Friday, June 19
3 p.m. ET — USA vs Australia | FOX, BBC iPlayer, SBS On Demand, RTÉ Player

Thursday, June 25
10 p.m. ET — USA vs Turkey | FOX, ITVX, SBS On Demand, RTÉ Player

If they qualify for the knockouts as group winners, they'll play again at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 1, against B/E/F/I/J3. The game will be shown on FOX, SBS On Demand and RTÉ Player.

If they qualify for the knockouts as group runners-up, they'll play again at 2 p.m. ET on Friday, July 3, against G2. The game will be shown on FOX, SBS On Demand and RTÉ Player.

If they qualify for the knockouts as one of the best-ranked third-placed teams, they'll play again at either 4:30 p.m. ET on Monday, June 29 against E1, 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 30 against I1, or 9:30 p.m. ET on Friday, July 3 against K1.

Alejandro Zendejas and Christian Pulisic celebrating in action for the USMNT

(Image credit: Robin Alam/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

What is the World Cup 2026 schedule?

GROUP STAGE

Thursday, June 11
3 p.m. — Mexico vs South Africa | FOX, FOX One
10 p.m. — South Korea vs Czech Republic | FS1, FOX One

Friday, June 12
3 p.m. — Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina | FOX, FOX One
9 p.m. — USA vs Paraguay | FOX, FOX One

Saturday, June 13
3 p.m. — Qatar vs Switzerland | FOX, FOX One
6 p.m. — Brazil vs Morocco | FS1, FOX One
9 p.m. — Haiti vs Scotland | FS1, FOX One

Who is in the USMNT World Cup 2026 roster?

Goalkeepers: Chris Brady, Matt Freese, Matt Turner

Defenders: Max Arfsten, Sergino Dest, Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Joe Scally, Auston Trusty

Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, Cristian Roldan, Malik Tillman

Forwards: Brenden Aaronson, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Haji Wright. Alejandro Zendejas

Gunna rapping at the USMNT World Cup 2026 roster unveiling

Gunna rapping at the USMNT World Cup 2026 roster unveiling (Image credit: Adam Hunger via Getty Images)

What are the odds for USMNT to win World Cup 2026?

At the time of writing, DraftKings Sportsbook has USA as 14th favorites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup at +6,000. It has Spain as favorites at +475.

The USMNT are 16th in the FIFA Men's World Rankings at the time of publication, above Turkey (22nd), Australia (27th) and Paraguay (40th).

What stadiums will USMNT play in at World Cup 2026?

USA are set to play Paraguay and Turkey at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, and Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle.

If they qualify for the knockouts, their Round of 32 tie will be held at either Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, or Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Has the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup before?

The U.S. previously hosted the 1994 World Cup, which saw Brazil beat Italy in the final on penalties. Roberto Baggio blasting the decisive spot-kick over the bar has become one of the World Cup's most enduring images.

What is USMNT's best performance at the FIFA World Cup?

USA finished third at the inaugural World Cup in 1930, albeit the tournament featured just 13 teams altogether, and only a handful from Europe.

More recently, they reached the quarter-finals in 2002, when they were eliminated by Germany.

More from Tom's Guide

Disclaimer

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Aatif Sulleyman
Aatif Sulleyman

Aatif is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in the UK. He’s written about technology, sport and politics for a wide range of publications including TechRadar, What Hi-Fi?, The Independent, Trusted Reviews, and Newsweek. These days, he focuses mainly on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: live TV and penny-pinching. When he's not attending a top-flight English soccer match, you can find him perfecting his table tennis skills.

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