FuboTV is bolstering its soccer coverage for sports fans, as the virtual MVPD will live stream all 64 matches of FIFA’s Qatar 2022 World Cup – beginning November 20.
Fubo’s U.S. customers can catch the games in either English or Spanish via Fox Sports and Telemundo, which currently hold U.S. broadcasting rights for World Cup coverage. The first match to be streamed will be Qatar versus Ecuador on November 20, with World Cup coverage running until December 18.
In addition to analysis and shoulder programming, Fubo will provide select matches in 4K HD. The company boasts it’s ahead of the game with 4K streams, as Fubo was the first vMVPD to stream in 4K during the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
A full list of 2022 World Cup matches streaming in 4K is available here.
“Soccer is where it all began for FuboTV,” stated David Gandler, co-founder and CEO at FuboTV. “We’re looking forward to bringing Fubo subscribers the world’s biggest soccer tournament enjoyed through a custom and personalized viewing experience.”
Fubo also touts UEFA soccer coverage, as this summer it streamed four UEFA Nations League matches, which were also available via pay-per-view. The coverage comes from a six-year sublicensing deal with Fox Sports.
Fox doesn’t have a subscription-based direct-to-consumer offering but viewers with a pay TV subscription can stream games via the Fox Sports app, and there are other ways fans can stream this year’s World Cup. Peacock will stream Spanish-language coverage of the entire tournament, with the first 12 matches available on Peacock’s free tier and the remaining games on Peacock Premium.
Soccer fans can also live stream the games via Sling TV’s Blue or Orange+Blue tiers – which include the Fox Sports channel – as well as on Vidgo. Replays of every World Cup match will be available on Fox’s Tubi, which recently launched a FAST channel dedicated to World Cup highlights and analysis.
With the World Cup only a few weeks away, viewers want to know how they can access the games. According to Amdocs, most U.S. viewers (68%) plan to tune into matches via live TV, but 57% of millennials (ages 26-41) and 39% of Gen-X (ages 42-57) said they plan to stream the games.
This year’s World Cup won’t be available to stream on FIFA+, the soccer league’s ad-supported service launched in April. FIFA+ does however provide archival footage of past World Cup and Women’s World Cup events.
Sports watchers also want to see more interactive live stream experiences, Amdocs found. Roughly two-thirds (64%) of viewers said they’d be interested in a metaverse that simulates a virtual stadium for the World Cup. Additionally, viewers are interested in 360-degree live video coverage and interactive in-game challenges.