How to Watch the World Cup (With or Without Cable)

By Aura Bogado Jun 11, 2014

The World Cup kicks off Thursday–but where can you catch all 64 games? Unless you live close to a sports bar committed to airing all the matches, it’s kinda complicated, especially because cable providers have set up a lot of rules around who can watch what, and when. 

Here’s a quick guide to help get you through the next month of matches:

If you have a television and prefer English language broadcasts:

  • Don’t have cable? ABC will air a weird hodge-podge of just 10 games, mostly on the weekends–including the final game on July 13.
  • Do have cable? ESPN and ESPN 2 will air the remainder of the games.

If you have a television and prefer Spanish language broadcasts:

  • Univision will air all 64 matches. Univision is a cable channel, but the first 56 games are completely free. You’ll have to pony up to catch the last eight matches, however–but you’ll probably be hooked by then anyway.

If you’d rather stream the matches in English:

If you prefer streaming matches in Spanish:

  • Univision will allow you to watch the first 53 matches online, on your iPhone, or on your Android for free! You’ll need a cable subscription after that. Unless you’re a Comcast subscriber–If that’s the case, you’re out of luck.

Still up in the air*: 

  • There are other options I’m looking into–Argentina’s public television station TV Pública is airing half the matches, but I’m unclear whether they’ll be available online in the U.S.
  • TyC is airing the other half, but again, I’m unclear if they’ll be available online.
  • And there’s also Fútbol Para Todos, although I hear you may need to download an app to make it work. 

*These options aren’t working in the U.S.