The world’s biggest football spectacle kicks off on June 11th, but unfortunately getting to watch all the matches on TV while in Spain is going to be more complicated and expensive than ever. These are your best options and the games airing for free.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching and many in a football-mad country like Spain are already thinking about how and where to watch the matches.
The event, which will this year be jointly held between the US, Mexico and Canada, will run from June 11th until July 19th.
This tournament is different in that it features 64 teams rather than the usual 32, and will therefore see 104 matches take place.
Spain is one of the favourites for the tournament and hopes to follow-up its Euro 2024 triumph with another World Cup crown.
Other favourites among the bookies include France and, although with slightly longer odds, Argentina.
How to watch the 2026 World Cup in Spain
The 2026 World Cup has now finalised its broadcasting arrangements in Spain and DAZN will broadcast all 104 matches of the tournament, whilst state broadcaster RTVE will offer a selection of matches free-to-air via La 1, Teledeporte and RTVE Play, including all of Spain’s matches.
DAZN will be the only broadcaster to offer the entire tournament from the opening match to the final.
The platform will broadcast the entire group stage, the round of 32, the round of 16, the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, the third-place play-off and the final.
The last World Cup, DAZN offered a once-off payment of €20 for the entire tournament, but this time it seems like they want to make more money out of customers.
You can’t just buy the World Cup package for €19.99 now; you also need a DAZN subscription. The only exception is the Premium plan, which includes the World Cup for free. However, this plan costs €25.99 per month with a 12-month contract or €44.99 per month without a contract.
In other words, you’d be paying at least €90 for the non-contract Premium package to watch the World Cup this way, as the tournament runs for longer than a month and you’d have to pay for at least two months. All in all, quite the rip-off.
The cheaper option is to subscribe DAZNs ‘Made in USA’ sports package (shows NBA, NFL, NASCAR etc), which costs €7.99 per month with no contract, and add the World Cup package for €19.99 once-off payment. That would take the total to €35.97, but don’t forget to unsubscribe as soon as the tournament ends and wait until June to sign up.
Keep in mind that DAZN requires 30 days’ notice to cancel your subscription.
You can check out DAZN’s plans in detail here.
DAZN also has a deal with Movistar+ which allows some customers to get all World Cup matches by signing up for La Liga package for €36 per month without contract, which would work out to €72 for two months.
Orange is sharing broadcasting rights with DAZN as well, meaning that customers with the full football package can watch the tournament for free.
So in conclusion, DAZN’s ‘Made in USA’ + World Cup add-on is the cheapest choice, but it still involves some careful planning to not get charged more.
There’s always the option of watching some of the games for free on RTVE’s channels and other matches you’re interested in at sports bars or pubs.
As we mentioned earlier, Spanish national broadcaster RTVE will broadcast between 20 and 25 matches, including all of Spain’s matches, 14 group stage matches, key knockout-stage matches, the two semi-finals, the third-place play-off and the final.
Spain’s state broadcaster has so far confirmed that it will show the following free matches:
11th June – Mexico – South Africa (21:00)
12th June – Canada – Bosnia (21:00)
14th June – Brazil – Morocco (00:00)
14th June – Germany-Curaçao (19:00)
15th June – Spain- Cape Verde (18:00)
16th June – France-Senegal (21:00)
17th June – England-Croatia (22:00)
18th June – Switzerland-Bosnia (21:00)
19th June – US-Australia (21:00)
20th June – Netherlands-Sweden (19:00)
21st June – Spain v Saudi Arabia (18:00)
22nd June – Argentina v Austria (19:00)
23rd June – England v Ghana (22:00)
25th June – Scotland v Brazil (00:00)
25th June – Ecuador v Germany (22:00)
27th June – Uruguay v Spain (02:00)
28th June – Colombia v Portugal (01:30)
