How to Live Stream the World Cup 2018 on Apple TV without Cable

By Leanne Hays Wed, 05/16/2018

The World Cup 2018 is fast approaching, and soccer fans everywhere are figuring out how to catch all the live sports action, preferably without cable. The FIFA World Cup 2018 will be the 21st FIFA World Cup and will take place in Russia this year, the first ever to be held in Eastern Europe. 32 teams from all around the world will meet from June 14 to June 15 to play 64 matches, and the winners will qualify for the 2021 FIFA Confederations Cup. In order to live stream the World Cup on our Apple TVs, we'll need to know which broadcasters are covering all the action. With so many matches to catch, it's also important to know the World Cup schedule so that we can watch or record our favorite teams. Let's get started finding all the information we need so we can catch all the live World Cup soccer we can. 

Related: 10 Best Apps for Free Movies & TV Shows on Apple TV, iPhone & iPad  

Where is the World Cup 2018?

As I mentioned above, this year the FIFA World Cup will take place in Russia. With 64 matches occurring in the space of two days, though, there's no way for the tournament to take place in just one stadium. Instead, the World Cup will be spread out over 12 different venues in 11 Russian cities. 

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soccer world cup

World Cup Schedule

Here's a helpful match schedule courtesy of FIFA showing all the match locations, times, and dates. If you'd like to see this information in a larger, more detailed format, check out this link. 

world cup schedule

FIFA 2018 Broadcasters

US broadcast rights for the World Cup belong to Fox and Telemundo this year. Fox has announced it will stream all 64 matches of the World Cup, split between Fox and FS1. Here's a link to a super cool fan guide produced by Fox Sports. Here's what we really need to figure out our World Cup plan, though: a comprehensive list of every match that includes which networks it will be broadcast on. Now that we have the information we need, we can see which streaming service would be best to catch all the matches. 

Live Stream the World Cup With OTA TV

fox soccer

OTA stands for over the air, in other words, an antenna! Yes, it's true, you can legally pick up locally broadcasted channels and stream them to your Apple TV with an antenna. While you might be envisioning the old-fashioned version that looks like a laundry rack attached to your roof, there are now lots of OTA options that stay right inside your house. Some can boost signals, as well, which is really helpful if you live in a rural area. There are lots of choices, so figure out whether Fox is broadcast in your area, or could be picked up with an antenna that features signal boosting. If you can pick up Fox with an OTA, you'll be able to watch 38 games, including the final! Visit this link to enter your zip code and see which networks your antenna can pick up. Some options include AirTV, HD HomeRun, and Mohu, but there are lots more out there!

Live Stream World Cup 2018 Free With Fox Sports App

Compatibility: iPhone

Cost: Free

Pros: Stats, news, and live streaming whenever you want. 

Con: Complaints about speed.

fox soccer 2 go

The Fox Sports app comes at the very good price of free and offers live streaming of the entire 2018 World Cup. All you'll need to do is use AirPlay to mirror your iPhone's screen to your Apple TV, and you're in business! Looking through the app reviews, it seems that several users report the app crashing. I'd test this out well before June 14 to make sure app quality meets your needs.

Stream the World Cup with fuboTV

Compatibility: fourth-generation Apple TV

Cost: $19.99 a month for the first two months, $39.99 a month thereafter.

Pros: Seven-day free-trial period with no commitment, then a two-month special reduced price. 

Con: Channel availability varies by region.

fifa 2018
FuboTV is a tv streaming service with a heavy focus on live sports. The basic package, fubo Premier, offers more than 70 channels of content. Fox, FS1, and even Telemundo are available in some areas, but not in others; you have to do your research with this one. If you live in an area where FuboTV includes Fox, FS1 you can catch every World Cup match.

To sign up for FuboTV and find the Apple TV app, click here.

Stream World Cup 2018 With Sling TV 

Compatibility: fourth-generation Apple TV

Cost: Sling TV Orange Plan, $20 per month, Blue Plan, $25 per month, Orange and Blue, $40 per month

Pros: Seven-day free-trial period with no commitment. 

Con: Channel availability varies by region.

soccer world cup

Sling TV is an a la carte, streaming TV service that allows viewers to pay far less than a cable subscription would cost. Customers can choose Sling Orange, Sling Blue, or both. As an added bonus, Sling offers a Cloud DVR option for $5 a month. This way you can record World Cup matches and watch them later if you have work or family plans to accommodate. Sling Blue, at $25 a month, includes FS1 but Fox is only available in certain markets, so make sure Fox live broadcasts are available in your area before subscribing.

Here are step-by-step instructions to help you find and install the Sling TV app on your Apple TV. 

Watch the World Cup with Hulu Live on your Apple TV

Compatability: fourth-generation Apple TV

Cost: seven-day free trial, then $39.99 a month

Pros: Watch on two devices at once.

Cons: Beta version

sport tv live
Hulu makes the jump and joins the live-streaming tv game with their Hulu Live offering, which includes access to the entire Hulu streaming library. If you live in the right area, $39.99 a month will get you Fox and FS1, and therefore every World Cup match. A few cautions, though, Hulu warns right up front that this is a beta version and therefore subject to bugs and hiccups, so if you want to ensure the smoothest possible streaming of the World Cup, this could be slightly risky. As well, Hulu customers have complained about commercials with adult themes before, during, and after family and sports content, so if you're watching with kids, Hulu might not be the best choice for your family.

If you live in an area where Hulu Live provides Fox and FS1, you can learn how to set it up on your Apple TV here. 

Live Stream the World Cup 2018 to Your Apple TV

I hope that one of these options will help you live stream the 2018 World Cup to your Apple TV and that you get a chance to watch all your favorite teams!

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Author Details

Leanne Hays's picture

Author Details

Leanne Hays

Leanne Hays is an SEO Content Strategist and Feature Writer at iPhone Life, and has written hundreds of in-depth how-to and troubleshooting articles. She's a former Associate Editor for iPhone Life magazine, and has written for the Iowa Source, as well as web content for education marketing. Leanne has an associate's degree in education, with a focus on curriculum development, as well as a bachelor's degree in science. She has over nine years of experience with SEO, social media management, and web development and writing. Despite years of web work, Leanne is by no means an early adapter; she's only owned a smartphone for five years, which makes her highly sympathetic to the learning curve of new iPhone owners. She enjoys making reader's lives easier and putting her education experience to work by walking them through the most practical ways to use Apple devices, step-by-step.

In off-work hours, Leanne is a mother of two, homesteader, audiobook fanatic, musician, and learning enthusiast.