How to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026ᵀᴹ
You can watch all 104 games of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE on SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.
The FIFA World Cup 2026ᵀᴹ kicks off on June 11 and will be a free-to-air exclusive broadcast on SBS in Australia.
All 104 matches from the United States, Canada and Mexico will be shown live and free, with games also shown live on SBS VICELAND.
Where does the FIFA World Cup 2026ᵀᴹ take place?
The 2026 World Cup will be held across three North American countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This marks the first time the tournament will be hosted by three nations and the debut of Canada as a host. A total of 16 cities will serve as venues, with the U.S. hosting 11, Mexico 3, and Canada 2.
The 2026 edition will also introduce an expanded format, featuring 48 teams instead of the previous 32, divided into 12 groups of 4 teams each.
When does the FIFA World Cup 2026ᵀᴹ start?
The FIFA World Cup 2026ᵀᴹ kicks off on June 11 with the opening game at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The 2026 World Cup final will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19. The tournament in North America will be the biggest FIFA World Cup™ ever and a free-to-air exclusive broadcast on SBS in Australia.
FIFA World Cup 2026ᵀᴹ Dates and Times
The opening ceremony precedes the clash to open the tournament between co-hosts Mexico and their Group A opponents, still to be determined. The group stage continues until the final match in Group L on June 27.
- Group Stage: June 11 - 27
- Round of 32: June 28 - July 3
- Round of 16: July 4 - 7
- Quarter-Finals: July 9 - 11
- Semi-Finals: July 14 - 15
- 3rd vs 4th playoff: July 18
- World Cup Final: July 19
Watch FIFA World Cup 2026ᵀᴹ on TV
SBS and SBS VICELAND will be the exclusive free-to-air home to all 104 matches, with hundreds of hours of World Cup content also available via SBS On Demand throughout the tournament.
Given the North American location of the tournament, many of its matches will be at favourable times for Aussie fans, though they are still to be confirmed.
FIFA World Cup classic matches
SBS On Demand currently features 60 Classic FIFA World Cup matches from 1970 to 2022, allowing audiences to relive some of the greatest games on football’s biggest stage.
40 of these matches are available as while the remaining 20 showcase the .
Watch FIFA World Cup 2026ᵀᴹ via SBS On Demand
Watch the World Cup for free via the , connected TVs or with via our apps in the e and .
How to create an SBS On Demand account
Creating an account with SBS On Demand is free, quick and easy!
- visit:
- Click on 'create account':
- You'll then be prompted to enter:
- First name
- A password of your choosing - your chosen password must be at least 5 characters with a number.
- Birth year
- Gender
- Once all the above details have been successfully entered, you'll see the below notification advising an email has been sent to you to verify your account:
6. You can now go ahead and sign in to SBS On Demand! Happy viewing!
Five things to do right now to not miss any match
- Update your SBS On Demand app
- Log into SBS On Demand on your device/s
- Watch every game live and free
Watch FIFA World Cup classic matches on SBS On Demand
SBS On Demand currently features 60 Classic FIFA World Cup matches from 1970 to 2022, allowing audiences to relive some of the greatest games on football’s biggest stage.
40 of these matches are available as while the remaining 20 showcase the
How to watch replays and highlights
You will not miss a minute of the action from the United States, Canada and Mexico with full replays available after all 104 matches, including the pre-game and post-game shows - for relevant games - featuring SBS' all-star broadcast team.
30-minute mini matches
In consideration of time constraints for viewers, condensed 30-minute highlights packages will also be able for every match of the tournament.
Extended 12-minute highlights
Striking the perfect balance between the three-minute highlights and the length of the mini matches, 12-minute extended highlights will be available via SBS On Demand for all matches of the tournament.
Three-minute highlights
Bite-sized highlights packages will also be available from every match from the 2026 event, with viewers being able to watch the pick of the match action perfectly wrapped up into a three-minute video via SBS On Demand. We'll also have a series of additional video extras and best goal compilations.
In addition to all the live action, highlights and replays on SBS On Demand, the will house all the latest interviews, video extras, news, features, opinions and talking points from the 2026 World Cup.
What can I watch before then?
In addition to the , SBS On Demand subscribers will also have access to the FIFA+ FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channel from November 2024.
The FIFA+ channel will offer audiences a curated mix of football content from both the men's and women's game, including live matches, classics and original series on a 24/7 basis.
A look at the FIFA+ FAST channel available to SBS On Demand subscribers from November 2024. Source: SBS
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How to watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ LIVE and FREE – SBS broadcast schedule
Times TBC - will be updated in this guide once available.
