Manchester United are among the clubs with the greatest representation at the 2018 World Cup. It’s natural, then than even those United fans who are more interested in club than country will have more than half an eye on events as they unfold.
The terrestrial TV giants ITV and BBC will be fighting over the viewing figures, and one or other of them will be broadcasting each and every game, free to air. That’s all very well for anyone who has the luxury of sitting in front of their televisions all day for a month, but with some matches starting as early as 11AM UK time, most of us will have more mundane distractions such as work and family life to be getting on with.
Fortunately, the technological age has an answer to everything, and it is now easier than ever to keep up with every moment of every game, wherever you are and whatever you are doing. Let’s find out how.
Turn to Twitch
Twitch TV has revolutionised the world of TV streaming. It is probably best known for its coverage of eSports, but that is only a small proportion of what is available. You can tune in to Sportsbet.io Live TV for streaming of every match in the FIFA World Cup. There will also be up to the minute updates on the latest odds as the tournament evolves, for those looking to place a wager.
Twitch is available on desktop, which is ideal if you’re stuck in the office, as long as nobody can see your screen and you keep yourself under control when there’s a goal scored. If you’re out and about, it’s well worth downloading the Twitch TV mobile app to take the World Cup coverage with you wherever you go.
Download the TV player app
This is a useful app to have on your phone even if there isn’t a World Cup on, as it provides free streaming of all UK Freeview channels. On the positive side, that means that if you get tired of watching Costa Rica score goal after goal against Brazil, you can change channel and watch Judge Judy or Neighbours instead.
The downside is that you might find yourself doing a fair amount of channel surfing to find the games, unless you are well organised, as they are on a variety of BBC and ITV channels. In this respect, Twitch is the better option, as every game is in one place.
What if you are overseas?
That’s another benefit of the Twitch option. As long as you have an internet connection, you can stream Twitch from almost anywhere. There are a few exceptions – it is blocked in China and sometimes in Russia.
Alternatively, Fox Sport is the official World Cup broadcaster in the USA, and will be broadcasting coverage via its app, as well as on one of its TV channels. In Canada, it is CTV that’s doing the honours, but if you can’t get to a television set, you’ll need to set up a VPN to watch from your PC or laptop if you are desperate to see their coverage.
Is live streaming the future of TV?
Running through these options, one thing becomes abundantly clear. Specialist streaming services like Twitch are far less convoluted, and easier to use than conventional broadcast methods, even if you are watching online. Perhaps this is the shape future sports coverage will take. And it all began with a streaming website aimed predominantly at those obsessed with Warcraft and League of Legends. As a certain Londoner with a little World Cup experience of his own once said, it’s a funny old game.