The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada promises to be one of the most intriguing international football tournaments ever staged.
FIFA’s decision to expand the showpiece event to 48 teams has opened the door for smaller nations to participate on the biggest stage in world football.
For example, the Republic of Ireland last qualified for the tournament in 2002, but will fancy their chances of ending that barren run now more places are up for grabs.
Their involvement in the World Cup would undoubtedly spark a betting frenzy on the Emerald Isle, with Irish punters renowned for wagering on their team whenever the play.
With that in mind, read on as we take a look at betting on the 2026 World Cup, before assessing the best ways to watch all the games at the tournament.
Betting on the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events globally, and betting platforms offer numerous options for punters to get in on the action.
Outright betting, group winner betting, match betting, correct score and first goalscorer are among a plethora of markets available to punters.
Live betting markets have become also extremely popular at recent tournaments, giving bettors the chance to place their wagers while the action unfolds.
Comparison websites such as Dundalksport.ie are an excellent resource for football punters, offering them insights into the best betting sites and providing them with reliable tips.
Many of the operators featured on the platform offer live coverage during the World Cup, which effectively makes them a one-stop shop for betting and viewing.
Fans also have a ton of other viewing options available to them including traditional television broadcasts or an abundance of live streaming platforms.
Watching the 2026 World Cup Live
FIFA is yet to finalise the full list of broadcasters for the next World Cup. However, many of the companies which aired the last tournament will be offering coverage in 2026.
The list of broadcasters for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was as follows:
- Albania – RTSH
- Armenia – ARMTV
- Australia – SBS
- Austria – ORF
- Azerbaijan – İTV
- Belarus – BTRC
- Belgium – VRT, RTBF
- Bolivia – Unitel
- Bosnia and Herzegovina – BHRT
- Brazil – TV Globo, SporTV
- Bulgaria – BNT
- Canada – CTV, TSN, RDS
- Caribbean – International Media Content, SportsMax
- China – CCTV
- Colombia – Caracol Television – RCN Television – Win Sports
- Costa Rica – Teletica
- Croatia – HRT
- Cyprus – CyBC
- Czech Republic – CT
- Denmark – DR – TV 2
- Estonia – ERR
- Europe – European Broadcasting Union (37 countries)
- Finland – Yle, MTV3
- France – TF1, beIN SPORTS
- Germany – ARD, ZDF, Deutsche Telekom
- Guatemala – TV Azteca, Tigo Sports
- Greece – ANT1
- Georgia – GPB
- Hong Kong – PCCW
- Hungary – MTVA
- Iceland – RUV
- India – Viacom18
- Indonesia – RCTI, MNCTV, iNews
- Ireland – RTE
- Israel – IPBC
- Italy – RAI
- Japan – NHK General TV, Fuji Television, Nippon Television, Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, TV Asahi, TV Tokyo
- Kosovo – RTK
- Latvia – LTV
- Lithuania – LRT
- Luxembourg – RTL Group
- Malta – PBS
- Mexico – Televisa, Sky México, TUDN, TV Azteca
- Middle East and North Africa – beIN SPORTS
- Moldova – TRM
- Montenegro – RTCG
- Netherlands – NOS
- New Zealand – Sky Sport
- North Macedonia – MRT
- Pakistan – PTV Sports
- Peru – Latina
- Poland – TVP
- Portugal – RTP
- Romania – TVR
- Russia – Perviy Kanal, VGTRK, Match TV
- Serbia – RTS
- Slovakia – RTVS
- Spain – Mediapro
- South Africa – SuperSport
- Sub Saharan Africa – SuperSport
- Sweden – SVT, TV4
- Switzerland – SRG SSR
- Turkey – TRT
- Ukraine – Suspilne
- United Kingdom – BBC, ITV
- United States – Fox, Telemundo, Universo
Live streaming services were hugely popular during the 2022 World Cup. Here is a look at the best options in some of the major jurisdictions.
United Kingdom
The BBC and ITV will broadcast all the games, including the final, and will stream matches live through their websites and mobile apps.
Republic of Ireland
Fans from the Emerald Isle are in for a treat as RTE will air a selection of live matches. Some other local Irish operators are also expected to provide live coverage of selected games.
United States
American fans not cheering from the stadium can watch via on Fox Sports Go and Fox Soccer Match. Telemundo offers Spanish-language coverage.
