Australians will not need another sports subscription to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026, with SBS securing exclusive local coverage of the entire tournament and making every match available live and free.

The expanded tournament, now featuring 48 teams and 104 matches, kicks off on 12 June AEST and runs through to 20 July, with games staged across the US, Canada and Mexico. SBS will show every match across SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand, with full replays, three-minute highlights, 12-minute extended highlights and 30-minute mini matches available on demand.

The Socceroos open their campaign against Türkiye on 14 June, with SBS coverage from 1.00pm AEST. Australia then faces co-host nation USA on 20 June from 4.00am AEST, before taking on Paraguay on 26 June from 11.00am AEST.

For most households, the easiest option will be the SBS On Demand app on a smart TV or streaming box. SBS lists support for major browsers, Android and iOS devices, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Samsung TVs from 2017 onwards, LG TVs from 2017 onwards, Hisense TVs from 2021 onwards, Fetch, Foxtel iQ, Hubbl, Chromecast with Google TV and Google TV Streamer.

How to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™ LIVE and FREE | SBS FIFA World Cup 2026™

The other story around this World Cup is the return of the home watch party.

Kmart currently lists a 14ft inflatable projector screen for $159, with a 180W blower, projection screen, inflatable frame, tie-down ropes, ground stakes and carry bags. Other local projector options include XGIMI’s MoGo and Halo lines, Anker’s Nebula Capsule range, Samsung’s The Freestyle (pictured below), Epson’s EF smart mini projectors and LG’s CineBeam Q.

BenQ is also targeting World Cup viewers with its latest home entertainment projectors, offering 4K resolution, built-in Google TV, dedicated Sports Mode and screen sizes of up to 150 inches.

In the UK, Aldi is tapping into the tournament with two budget Specialbuys: a Bauhn HD LED projector and a Crane inflatable movie screen. The projector has screen sizes from 40 inches to 130 inches and Android 11 for streaming apps. The matching inflatable movie screen includes an air blower, tethers, stakes and a storage bag, and Aldi says it is made from all-weather material for indoor or outdoor use.

Of course for most viewers a big TV will still beat a budget projector. A 65-inch or 75-inch TV will generally be brighter, easier to set up and better suited to the breakfast, morning and lunchtime kick-offs that dominate this World Cup for Australian audiences.

For bright rooms and daytime sport, Mini LED models are the safer bet because they push higher brightness and handle glare better. For darker rooms, OLED sets still deliver stronger contrast and wider viewing angles. Current Australian TV recommendations include OLED models such as the LG C5 and Samsung S95F, Mini LED options from Samsung, and value-focused models such as the Hisense U7QAU.Hisense U7QAU 4K ULED Mini-LED Smart TV, 75"

For Samsung owners, newer Neo QLED and OLED models also feature AI Soccer Mode (AI Football Mode), which uses real-time AI analysis to automatically optimise picture and sound during football broadcasts. The feature enhances brightness, colour, motion handling and crowd audio to create a more immersive stadium-like experience, while AI Soccer Mode Pro can automatically detect live football matches and switch the TV into a dedicated sports viewing mode.

The World Cup will also be a second-screen tournament. Tablets are useful for kitchen, bedroom and commute viewing, while phones will carry highlights and live streams when fans are away from the TV.

For tablets, look for a bright 11-inch to 13-inch display, strong battery life, reliable Wi-Fi and SBS On Demand compatibility. Good options include Apple’s iPad 11-inch, iPad Air, and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus or Galaxy Tab S10 Plus. Premium tablets are nice, but they are not essential if the main job is streaming the soccer.

For mobile viewing, bigger OLED screens, 5G, strong speakers and battery life matter most. Current premium picks include Google’s Pixel 10 Pro, Apple’s iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Max, and Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra. Mid-range Android phones and older iPhones will also do the job, provided they can run the latest SBS On Demand app.

For those wanting to take their World Cup obsession a step further, Lenovo and Motorola have released FIFA World Cup 2026 special editions of the Lenovo Idea Tab and Motorola Razr 60 (pictured below).