YouTube has announced that football fans will have more ways to watch and follow the 2026 FIFA World Cup, from the opening match on June 11 to the final on July 19.
According to YouTube, viewers will be able to watch live content, highlights, and behind-the-scenes moments directly on the platform.
YouTube explains that while FIFA’s official YouTube channel will provide highlights and analysis, official broadcasters in different countries will stream parts of matches or even full games.
SportyTV steps in with free match coverage
At the same time, SportyTV has announced a boost for African viewers, highlighting Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria.
SportyTV will stream 34 World Cup matches for free, including 17 group-stage matches, all matches involving South Africa and Ghana, and the knockout matches leading up to and including the final.
Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026 Explained: How Teams Will Progress Out of the Group Stages in New Format
SportyTV also gave great relief to the local households as it announced its availability on DStv Access, one of DStv’s lower-tier subscription packages, which makes it easier for many families to watch the games. The matches will be available for free on their YouTube channel and the SportyTV+ channel on DSTV Access
Group-stage matches available on SportyTV
Here are the confirmed fixtures, dates and kickoff times:
| Date | Match | Kenya Time | Nigeria Time | Ghana Time | |
| June 11 | Mexico vs South Africa | 22:00 | 20:00 | 19:00 | |
| June 12 | Canada vs Bosnia | 22:00 | 20:00 | 19:00 | |
| June 13 | Brazil vs Morocco | 01:00 (+1) | 23:00 | 22:00 | |
| June 15 | Spain vs Cape Verde | 19:00 | 17:00 | 16:00 | |
| Ivory Coast vs Ecuador | 02:00 (+1) | 00:00 (+1) | 23:00 | ||
| June 16 | France vs Senegal | 22:00 | 20:00 | 19:00 | |
| June 18 | Czechia vs South Africa | 19:00 | 17:00 | 16:00 | |
| Ghana vs Panama | 02:00 (+1) | 00:00 (+1) | 23:00 | ||
| June 19 | USA vs Australia | 22:00 | 20:00 | 19:00 | |
| June 20 | Germany vs Ivory Coast | 23:00 | 21:00 | 20:00 | |
| June 21 | Uruguay vs Cape Verde | 01:00 (+1) | 23:00 | 22:00 | |
| June 23 | Norway vs Senegal | 03:00 | 01:00 | 00:00 (+1) | |
| England vs Ghana | 23:00 | 21:00 | 20:00 | ||
| June 25 | South Africa vs South Korea | 04:00 | 02:00 | 01:00 (+1) | |
| Curaçao vs Ivory Coast | 23:00 | 21:00 | 20:00 | ||
| June 26 | Senegal vs Iraq | 22:00 | 20:00 | 19:00 | |
| June 27 | Croatia vs Ghana | 00:00 (+1) | 22:00 | 21:00 | |
(+1)” means the match kicks off the next day in that time zone.
YouTube explains how to follow the World Cup
Viewers and fans will be able to watch the World Cup matches in flexible ways, via YouTube and official broadcasters.
- Through official broadcaster channels on YouTube
In order to watch the matches, fans need to visit their local TV broadcasters’ YouTube channels like the BBC in the U.K., Fox Sports and Telemundo in the U.S., TSN in Canada, TUDN in Mexico, Deportes RCN in Colombia.
These channels will:
- Show parts of matches (like the first 10 minutes)
- Sometimes stream full matches live
- Watching highlights anytime
YouTube says that if someone misses a match, they can watch short clips (Shorts), check match highlights, and watch full recaps and goal compilations on FIFA’s YouTube Channel.
Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026: Fixtures, Scores, Group Standings, Finals and Tickets
- Content from YouTube Creators
In addition, fans will enjoy behind-the-scenes videos and content from YouTube creators with access to the tournament, such as Celine Dept, Jesser, and many more.
“With more than 350 million global YouTube subscribers combined, these creators will be on the ground, bringing you into the host cities, the sidelines and more to show you the World Cup through the eyes of the supporters around the world,” YouTube said
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