There's no denying the slow segmentation of sport, particularly in international-spanning events like the F1. Between different broadcasters, then different streaming services, then different commentary boxes, it's all a bit of a mish-mash of accounts, subscriptions, Pay-Per-View and the rest.
Thankfully, UK residents from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales can all enjoy the anticipation of the next Men's World Cup for no extra cost! Learn how to get in on the action from this exclusive BBC deal.
How to Watch International Matches in the UK
As of March 2025, the BBC has an exclusive arrangement to broadcast, on standard TV, international matches of the England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland teams running all the way to the Men's World Cup final 2026!
This deal gives the BBC the right to broadcast every international match (that's about 41 matches!) on BBC1 for free to all Freeview viewers.
That might sound simple, but this is a huge leap in the accessibility of national team's international endeavours and is sure to get a whole new wave of fans eager to see every match, feel every kick and enjoy the whole season on a new level.
The matches will be available on iPlayer for catchup with the internet, but the main benefit of the deal is you can pick any Freeview TV you fancy, from a portable unit in your caravan to a full-fledged set-top at home, and watch every match for free.
How to Access Free Football Coverage
To take part, you'll just need access to Freeview (Or, I suppose, Freely).
Freeview has no subscriptions or accounts or anything like that, you might even already have all you need:
- A digital terrestrial aerial, normally built onto your rooftop
- A Freeview tuner, normally built into your TV, or available in a set-top-box
- Signal for BBC1, which is available in 90%+ of households with TV access!
And that's it, once you have access to Beeb 1 you are pretty much sorted! You just need to check the EPG and schedule the time to watch it, or schedule a recording and catch up without even needing internet at all.
Once again, let me reiterate that this is for Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland in addition to all the usual broadcasted sport from England and the UK as a whole. No one is getting any special or exclusive treatment, so we can all enjoy the journey to the World Cup together, for free!
Explore Freeview Options Ahead of Summer
Curious about how you can get Freeview?
Explore our Set-Top-Boxes that connect via HDMI to your TV or smart TV here:
Explore USB tuners that connect via USB to your computer or laptop here:
Explore TVs with built-in Freeview here:
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