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40 years after Diego Maradona lifted the World Cup in Mexico City, soccer's biggest international tournament returns to the country with the eyes of fans in Mexico and beyond getting ready to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup.While much about the tournament has of course changed in that intervening four decades — 48 teams, VAR, the back-pass rule, no Italy — other things seem always to remain true: France, Brazil and Germany are among the favorites, and Argentina's challenge will be spearheaded by one of football's greatest ever players.Although Mexico themselves may not be expecting to progress further than the quarter-finals they made in 1986 (a campaign that ended cruelly on penalties to eventual runners-up Germany), the 13 matches the country is set to host includes the tournament opener at Estadio Azteca on Thursday, June 11. There will still be plenty of pressure resting on the shoulders of head coach Javier Aguirre, captain Edson Álvarez and the rest of the squad.In this article, we outline the World Cup broadcasters in Mexico and what you need to do if you're overseas and want to watch "El Tri" — including free live streams. There's also information below on Mexico's fixtures and, for trivia fans, some information about Mexico's history in the FIFA World Cup.Can I watch the World Cup for free in Mexico?32 games will also be shown live by free-to-air broadcaster TV Azteca. Included in the list of free games are all those including Mexico, both semi-finals and the final on Sunday, July 19.In other countries, free coverage is available for every game, those countries are:UK: BBC/ITVAustralia: SBS On DemandBrazil: CazéTV's YouTubeBelgium: RTBF/VRTIreland: RTE PlayerNetherlands: NOSSwitzerland: SRF Play / RTS Play / RSI PlayTurkey: TRTThose visiting Mexico for the World Cup can tap into their home stream with Norton VPN — more on that below.How to watch World Cup 2026 from anywhereIf you're away from Mexico and try to watch your your usual 2026 FIFA World Cup live streams, you'll quickly find that they're blocked. It's the same for viewers from the U.K., Australia or Ireland wanting to watch their coverage.Fortunately, you can still stream every single game live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software makes your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. Ideal for soccer fans away on vacation or on business. Our streaming favorite is Norton VPN.Using a VPN is incredibly simple.1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, Norton VPN is good choice.2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're overseas and want to view your Mexican streaming service, you'd select Mexico from the server list.3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head the relevant streaming platform and watch World Cup 2026.How to watch World Cup 2026 in MexicoThe 2026 World Cup broadcasting arrangement in Mexico isn't as straightforward as in most countries. Two networks have a share of the rights, with various channels and streaming platforms set to show matches.Read MoreThe most comprehensive coverage comes from TelevisaUnivisión, which is showing all 104 matches of the tournament via its paid-for ViX streaming platform.Anybody with ViX Premium Annual Plan can watch the games, while those with a ViX Premium Monthly Plan will have to purchase an additional World Cup Pass for MX$799.As we alluded to above, 32 games will also be shown for free.On TV, they'll be shared around Azteca Uno, Azteca 7, Canal 5 and Las Estrellas, while Mexicans can also access free live streams through the TV Azteca website and app.World Cup 2026 in Mexico: FAQWhat and when are Mexico's group fixtures at the 2026 World CupMexico's three fixtures in Group A of the 2026 World Cup are:Mexico vs South Africa: Thursday, June 11 at 1 p.m. CST / 3 p.m. ET STREAM FREE on TV AztecaMexico vs South Korea: Thursday, June 18 at 7 p.m. CST / 9 p.m. ET STREAM FREE on TV AztecaMexico vs Czechia: Wednesday, June 24 at 7 p.m. CST / 9 p.m. ET STREAM FREE on TV AztecaWhat are the odds for Mexico to win the World Cup 2026?At the time of writing, DraftKings Sportsbook has Mexico as 16th favorites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup at +7500. It has France and Spain as joint favorites at +500.Mexico are currently placed 15th in the FIFA Men's World Rankings, which is higher than all three of the other teams in their group.
