After years of anticipation, the 2026 World Cup finally gets underway on Thursday, with an intriguing opening fixture in Group A between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa.
Despite hosting the tournament on two previous occasions, Mexico has never advanced beyond the quarterfinals at a World Cup. Tasked with improving on that record is former Real Mallorca boss Javier Aguirre. Hopes were raised following last summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup triumph, and creditable draws against Portugal and Belgium in the March international break showed this current El Tri lineup offers the sort of defensive resilience that will hold them in good stead over the coming weeks.
South Africa is appearing in their first World Cup after a 16-year hiatus. Hugo Broos' team was unlucky not to go further than the Round of 16 at AFCON in Morocco earlier this year, and it appears to be a solid contender for qualification from a group that also includes Canada, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Preceded by the tournament's opening ceremonies, today's curtain-raiser is a repeat of the 2010 World Cup's first match, which ended in a dramatic 1-0 win in Johannesburg for then-hosts South Africa.
Mexico takes on South Africa in this Group A match on Thursday at Mexico City Stadium (Estadio Azteca), with kickoff set for 1 p.m. CST local time in Mexico. That makes it a 3 p.m. ET or 12 p.m. PT start in the US and Canada, an 8 p.m. start in the UK and a 5 a.m. AEST kickoff in Australia on Friday.
Livestream Mexico vs. South Africa in the US in English
Exclusive English live broadcast rights for every World Cup 2026 match are with Fox, with games set to be shown on Fox and FS1. Today's tournament opener will be shown on Fox.
The cheapest option for most cord-cutters will be the Fox One streaming app, which will carry each match.
If you don't have access to either channel in your cable lineup, there are several online alternatives. A number of the major live TV streaming services, such as YouTube TV, DirecTV and Hulu Plus Live TV, carry both Fox and FS1.
Fox One: $20 per month
Carries every 2026 World Cup match
Fox's direct-to-consumer streaming service launched in August last year. Fox One starts at $20 a month or $200 a year and gives you access to Fox's complete TV portfolio, including sports-related channels such as Fox Deportes, Fox Sports, B1G, FS1, FS2 and local Fox stations. New subscribers can get a three-day free trial.
Fubo
Carries Fox and FS1
You can watch Fox and FS1 on Fubo via the service's $74-per-month Pro Plan. Click here to see which local channels you get in your region with Fubo. Read our Fubo review.
YouTube TV
Carries Fox and FS1
For $83 a month, YouTube TV's standard plan will get you Fox and FS1 along with a wide array of other channels.
Plug in your ZIP code on YouTube TV's welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area.
DirecTV MySports
Carries Fox and FS1
DirecTV's MySports genre package includes access to both channels. New subscribers can sign up and access it for free for 5 days, then the price is $50 a month for the first two months. After that, the price reverts to its normal rate of $65 per month.
Livestream Mexico vs. South Africa in the US with Spanish commentary
Spanish-language broadcast rights in the US are with NBCUniversal: Telemundo, which will show 92 games and the remaining 12 will be broadcast on Universo. Both channels are available to stream on Peacock, with the service set to offer Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound. Today's tournament opener will be shown on Telemundo.
Peacock
Carries Spanish-language coverage of the World Cup
Peacock currently costs $11 per month for the ad-supported Peacock Premium plan and $17 per month for the ad-free Peacock Premium Plus plan. Watch all the action from Telemundo and Universo on the platform.
Livestream Mexico vs. South Africa in the US for free
As well as serving as a hub for World Cup content, including documentaries and match highlights and replays, Fox's free streaming service Tubi will also be streaming two key games from the opening stages of the tournament.
Fox's coverage of today's tournament opener, as well as the USA's opening match against Paraguay on June 12, will both be simulcast live and for free on the platform.
If you're a Xumo customer, you'll also be able to watch these same two matches for free on Xumo Play in Spanish. They'll be streamed via Telemundo/Peacock on the platform.
Tubi TV
Showing select World Cup 2026 games live
Tubi TV offers considerably more free movies than TV shows, but it continues to grow its extensive library and its live channel lineup. This ad-supported network doesn't require an account, although signing up for one enables you to save favorites and resume playback if you switch between devices.
How to watch the 2026 World Cup using a VPN
If you're traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the World Cup action while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming.
It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds. Additionally, it can be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, providing an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security.
However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN use to access region-specific content. If you're considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform's terms of service to ensure compliance.
If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider's installation instructions to ensure you're connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN use is crucial.
ExpressVPN
Best VPN for streaming
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $120 a year for its most popular plan (Advanced), but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $90, you'll get three months free. That's the equivalent of $6 a month.
Livestream Mexico vs. South Africa in the UK for free
Free-to-air networks BBC and ITV are once again sharing broadcasting duties for the World Cup, with this match set to be shown on ITV1. The match will also be available to stream on ITVX. Coverage begins with the tournament's opening ceremonies at 6:15 pm BST with Mexico vs. South Africa set to kick off at 8 p.m. BST.
ITVX
Carries World Cup 2026 soccer for free in the UK
ITV's streaming online streaming service is free to viewers in the UK, with dedicated apps available for Apple and Android devices, as well as most smart TVs.
Livestream Mexico vs. South Africa in Australia for free
It's great news for soccer fans Down Under: Every match of the 2026 World Cup will be broadcast free on SBS in Australia.
SBS
Carries the 2026 World Cup in Australia
Viewers can livestream World Cup coverage on the free-to-use SBS On Demand service.
The platform has dedicated apps for Android and iOS, and you can also access the service on Android TV, Amazon Fire TV stick, Apple TV and most smart TVs.
Livestream Mexico vs. South Africa in Canada
Broadcast rights for this summer's World Cup in Canada are with Bell Media, who are set to air all matches in English on TSN and CTV, and in French on RDS. That also means coverage will be available on the TSN Plus streaming platform.
TSN Plus
Carries World Cup matches live
TSN Plus is a streaming service that costs CA$8 a month and also offers coverage of PGA Tour Live golf, NFL games, F1, Nascar and the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments.
Source: CNET
