Most of the world looks forward to watching the FIFA World Cup every four years. You do not have to be an intense fan to know that Qatar is hosting the 2022 event. Thankfully, you do not have to live or visit there to watch the great FIFA action. Though almost half of the countries in the world are offering coverage for the tournament, not all of them are available online. In fact, if you want to watch specific coverage or watch the matches on the internet, the media companies will usually block you. The services or channels that allow users to watch are premium or geo-blocked. However, using a VPN will unblock those restrictions.
Quickstart Guide for Using a VPN for the World Cup
For the quickest and easiest way to watch the matches, follow these steps.
- Sign up for ExpressVPN (includes a 30-day money back guarantee).
- Once you have opened the client, locate a server in the United Kingdom.
- Open a browser and connect to the BBC iPlayer. Keep in mind you may need to sign in or register on their website first. You will want to register with the VPN on as well. If it asks if you have a TV license, you will need to say yes.
- Watch and enjoy the live matches of the 2022 World Cup or the catchup matches.
Here are the best VPNs to help you get around the geo-blocks.
How to Watch the World Cup with ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the best choice for unblocking popular the World Cupand live sporting events. The ExpressVPN team has combined their VPN service with a Smart DNS feature called MediaStreamer. The combination will protect your privacy and unblock access to a wide range of content all over the world. You can run the ExpressVPN app on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, and router. The MediaStreamer service extends support to streaming media devices (Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Kodi boxes, etc.), Smart TVs, gaming consoles (PS4, Xbox One, Switch), and more.
The team at ExpressVPN is currently offering our visitors a discount on their all-inclusive VPN service. You can enjoy unlimited access to both their VPN network and MediaStreamer service for 49% off with 3 months free. In addition, they are offering a 30-day money back guarantee to all new members so you won’t feel rushed while testing the service. You’ll have a month to watch live events, unblock streaming services, and fully experience the advantages of ExpressVPN. You can expect to be quite impressed with the service.
How to Watch the World Cup with NordVPN
NordVPN is a good choice for unblocking live sporting events and streaming services. The VPN will help you unblock Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and many more channels. You still need a subscription for paid services like CBS All Access but NordVPN will help you unblock the geo-restrictions. They are one of the few VPNs that can still access Netflix US from outside the United States. This makes NordVPN a great choice for those who want to stream content from other regions of the world.
As you can see, the NordVPN app is easy to use. You can select a server location from the map or from a list of countries. Unfortunately, NordVPN doesn’t let you choose a specific city in locations like the United States. However, it will pick a server based on your current location. We found this to result in slower speeds than ExpressVPN. At times we had to try a few different servers to find one that offered the performance we desired. Otherwise, NordVPN offers everything you need to unblock your favorite websites.
How to Watch the World Cup with PIA VPN
Private Internet Access, often referred to as PIA, is one of the most popular VPN services in the world. They are headquartered in Silicon Valley and have contributed heavily to the privacy community. You have likely seen PIA in the news as they support a wide range of privacy-related campaigns. From full-page ads to promote privacy bills to support of the open source community, the PIA team is a strong privacy advocate. You will find the VPN service offers everything you need to encrypt your connection and unblock access to many of your favorite web sites.
We have experienced positive results when trying to access Netflix through PIA. You will find that popular streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer are getting good at blocking VPNs. It’s a game of cat and mouse in which the VPNs find ways to stay ahead of the game. In addition to unblocking restrictions, PIA is also very popular in the file sharing community. Torrent users turn to PIA to secure their privacy with sites like TorrentFreak promoting the service. You will find that PIA has a lot to offer for a very reasonable price.
That is all you have to do to enjoy the matches online. While that is the simplest and easiest option, you may want to watch coverage from a specific country. We’ll tell you more about those options in a moment. If you are familiar with the World Cup structure, you know that 32 teams play in the tournament. They are divided into 8 groups of 4 teams each, and the groups are labeled with the English alphabet letters of A-H. Here are the groupings:
- Group A – Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
- Group B – England, Iran, United States, Wales
- Group C – Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
- Group D – France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia
- Group E – Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan
- Group F – Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
- Group G – Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
- Group H – Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea
Tournament action begins on November 20th, 2022 and ends with the final match on December 18th, 2022 at Lusail Iconic Stadium. The Knockout Phase will begin on December 3rd, so you won’t want to miss out on the great football.
About Geo-blocks
Geo-blocks can be annoying. Because of world licensing and broadcasting rights, the media companies block anyone outside of their targeted area. In other words, if you are traveling or want to watch region specific coverage, the blocking software will stop you. Since it can detect IP addresses, it can tell if you are outside of the area it wants you to be in. By connecting to a VPN, you can make the blocking software think you are located someplace else. Of course, you can watch more than just the World Cup when you use one.
Not All VPNs Will Unblock Popular Streaming Services
The truth of the matter is, ineffective VPN products litter the community. Though they may help you in other ways, you are removing one of the biggest benefits of a VPN if it does not unblock geo-restrictions. Even some of the more well-known providers do not work well to get you past those blocks. There is no point in trying the BBC iPlayer option if you are having issues with the VPN.
Now, we have shown you some great tools you can use to unblock the World Cup. Though there are others available, we think you’ll be happy with our choices. If you are a fan of football (soccer for Americans), you should not have to miss out on your favorite coverage because of where you are. If your goal is to unblock World Cup, you have come to the right place.
