World Cup 2026 Recap: Final Result, Broadcasters and How to Watch Football Now

The FIFA World Cup 2026 finished on July 19, 2026, when Spain beat Argentina 1–0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. It was the first World Cup with 48 teams and 104 matches, and the first hosted by three countries: the USA, Canada and Mexico. This guide now covers how the tournament played out, who broadcast it in the US and Canada, and how to follow international football on IPTV until the next World Cup in 2030.

FIFA World Cup 2026 — Key Facts

• 48 teams for the first time in World Cup history, up from 32
• 104 matches between June 11 and July 19, up from 64 in Qatar 2022
• 3 host countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico, with matches in 16 cities
• US venues: MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey), AT&T Stadium (Dallas), SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles), Levi's Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City), Gillette Stadium (Boston), Lumen Field (Seattle), NRG Stadium (Houston) and Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
• Canadian venues: BC Place (Vancouver) and BMO Field (Toronto)
• Mexican venues: Estadio Azteca (Mexico City), Estadio Akron (Guadalajara) and Estadio BBVA (Monterrey)
• Final: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Who Broadcast World Cup 2026

Rights in the US and Canada were split between several broadcasters, which is why so many fans had to piece coverage together.

USA — English Language

• Fox & FS1: Fox held the English-language rights, splitting matches between the Fox network and FS1, with the final on Fox.

USA — Spanish Language

• Telemundo, Universo & Peacock: Telemundo held the Spanish-language rights and shared matches with its sister channel Universo. Peacock streamed the Spanish-language coverage.

Canada

• TSN, CTV & RDS: Bell Media held the Canadian rights, with English coverage on TSN and CTV and French coverage on RDS.

United Kingdom

• BBC & ITV: The two free-to-air networks shared UK coverage, as they do for every World Cup.

Why Coverage Was So Fragmented — and What It Means Next Time

A US fan who wanted both English and Spanish coverage needed Fox, FS1, Telemundo and Universo — usually through cable or a live TV streaming package — plus a separate Peacock subscription. Canadian fans needed Bell Media's channels. That kind of split is now normal for major events, and it's the main reason people look at IPTV: one login for the channels that carry the games, instead of a stack of subscriptions.

The same applies to club football this season. Premier League matches in the US are on NBC, USA Network and Peacock, while in Canada Fubo holds exclusive rights. Champions League matches in the US air on CBS Sports and Paramount+. If you follow a club, check that its matches are on channels you can actually watch before you pay for anything — including Zylo TV, which is why we offer a free trial.

What You Need to Watch Big Matches in 4K

• Internet speed: At least 25 Mbps for stable 4K. A wired Ethernet connection is more reliable than Wi-Fi for live sport.
• Device: A 4K TV plus a 4K-capable streaming device, such as a Firestick 4K, an Nvidia Shield or a 4K smart TV app.
• A 4K feed: 4K only exists when the broadcaster produces it, so most matches on most channels are in HD.
• IPTV player: IPTV Smarters Pro or TiviMate, logged in with your Zylo TV details.

Step-by-Step: Watching International Football on IPTV

World Cup 2026 — How the Tournament Unfolded

• Group stage (June 11–27): 72 matches, with every team playing 3 games
• Round of 32 (June 28–July 3): 16 matches, a new knockout round created by the 48-team format
• Round of 16 (July 4–7): 8 matches
• Quarter-finals (July 9–11): 4 matches
• Semi-finals (July 14–15): 2 matches
• Third-place play-off (July 18): England finished third, ahead of France
• Final (July 19): Spain 1–0 Argentina after extra time, MetLife Stadium

The next men's World Cup is in 2030, hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with opening matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to mark the tournament's centenary.

Watching Football on Different Devices

Firestick / Fire TV

Install IPTV Smarters Pro or TiviMate using the Downloader app, then log in and open the Sports category. See our Firestick setup guide →

Smart TV (Samsung, LG, Sony)

Install IPTV Smarters Pro from your TV's app store. Samsung (Tizen) and LG (webOS) both support it, and Sony TVs run Google TV, so you can use the Google Play Store. See our Smart TV setup guide →

iPhone / iPad

Install IPTV Smarters Pro from the Apple App Store and log in with your Zylo TV details — useful for following a match when you're away from the TV. See our iPhone setup guide →

Android TV / Nvidia Shield / Google TV

Install IPTV Smarters Pro or TiviMate from the Google Play Store. A Shield on wired Ethernet is one of the most reliable ways to watch 4K sport. See our Android TV setup guide →

Troubleshooting Live Match Streams

Buffering during matches: Switch from Wi-Fi to Ethernet if you can, or drop the stream to 1080p if your connection is borderline. If it continues, message Zylo TV support on WhatsApp and we'll check your setup.

Can't find the match: Search the EPG in your player for the team or competition. Channel names vary — for example "FOX HD" or "FOX 4K" — so try each version.

Match isn't in the EPG: Guide data refreshes every few hours. Force-refresh the EPG in your player settings, or open the channel directly.

Frequently Asked Questions