How to watch the World Cup in France – can I get a free stream?

July 4, 2026

French football fans are justifiably confident that Les Bleus can go all the way and win the 2026 World Cup. Sitting at the top of the FIFA World Rankings and having made the last two finals (winning one and losing an excruciating penalty shoot-out in the other), Didier Deschamps’ men know how to get things done… and that’s before you even get to the Kylian Mbappé factor.

The country’s all-time top scorer at the age of just 27, Mbappé has been terrorizing international defences for nearly a decade and – at the time of writing – co-leads a fascinating Golden Boot race alongside Lionel Messi with six goals so far at the 2026 tournament.

But this awesome France side is about much more than one man. Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Adrien Rabiot and Aurélien Tchouaméni have all been superb in a team that is somehow even greater than the sum of its parts, while Mike Maignan has conceded only twice between the sticks. They’re a truly delightful team to watch – and thankfully you can do exactly that, and largely for free.

Over half the games at this year’s World Cup are 100% free to watch on TV and online in France. So read on as we explain how to watch World Cup 2026 in France absolutely free.

Can I stream World Cup 2026 for free in France?

Yes, but not every match. 54 of the 104 games at the 2026 World Cup will be streamed live and for free in France.

That’s thanks to the free-to-air M6 TV station, which is showing 47 of those matches between the times of 6-11pm CET, and means matches will also be available to stream live online through the M6+ streaming platform.

All you need to stream free on M6+ is a free account that requires a few basic personal details, including name, date of birth and a French postal code (e.g. 93200).

If you’re going to be traveling away from France, then you can use a VPN to unlock your free World Cup streams. Norton VPN is our top pick of the options – more on which below.

For comprehensive coverage of every game, you’ll need access to specialist sports streamer beIN Sports. You can sign up through your usual TV provider or as a standalone service from €15 a month.

Use a VPN to watch any World Cup 2026 stream

Travel outside the borders of France and you’ll soon discover that your usual domestic streaming options don’t work. That means you won’t be able to live stream World Cup games as you expected to.

Don’t worry, that’s exactly where a VPN can help. A virtual private network lets you connect to servers around the world so you can securely access your usual World Cup coverage as if you were back home.

We recommend Norton VPN. Here’s why:

Where else can I stream World Cup 2026 for free?

Al 104 World Cup matches will be streamed for free in many countries around the world:.

Abroad? You can use a VPN to access local broadcasts and streaming services.

What is the World Cup 2026 schedule?

All times CET

ROUND OF 16

Saturday, July 4
7pm – Canada vs Morocco Stream FREE on M6+
11pm – Paraguay vs France Stream FREE on M6+

Sunday, July 5
10pm – Brazil vs Norway Stream FREE on M6+

Monday, July 6
2am – Mexico vs England
9pm – Portugal vs Spain Stream FREE on M6+

Tuesday, July 7
2am – USA vs Belgium
6pm – TBC vs TBC
10pm – Switzerland vs TBC

QUARTER-FINALS

Thursday, July 9
10pm – Canada or Morocco vs Paraguay or France Stream FREE on M6+

Friday, July 10
9pm – USA or Belgium vs Portugal or Spain Stream FREE on M6+

Saturday, July 11
11pm – Brazil or Norway vs Mexico or England

Sunday, July 12
3am – TBC vs TBC Stream FREE on M6+

SEMI-FINALS

Tuesday, July 14
9pm – Semi-final 1 (will include France if they progress) Stream FREE on M6+

Wednesday, July 15
9pm – Semi-final 2 Stream FREE on M6+

FINALS

Saturday, July 18
11pm – Third-place playoff Stream FREE on M6+

Sunday, July 19
9pm – 2026 FIFA World Cup final Stream FREE on M6+

France's players pose for a team photograph before the international friendly football match between France and Ivory Coast at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes — (Image credit: Getty Images)

What is France’s FIFA World Cup 2026 squad?

Goalkeepers: Brice Samba (Rennes), Mike Maignan (Milan), Robin Risser (Lens).

Defenders: Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Jules Koundé (Barcelona), Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool), William Saliba (Arsenal), Théo Hernandez (Al-Hilal), Lucas Hernandez (Paris Saint-Germain), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace).

Midfielders: Manu Koné (Roma), Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid), N’Golo Kanté (Fenerbahçe), Adrien Rabiot (Milan), Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco).

Forwards: Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain), Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace).

Does France have a chance to win the 2026 World Cup?

France has a very good chance of winning this World Cup and are favorites with many pundits, fans and bookmakers – ahead of the likes of Argentina, Spain, Brazil and England – to win the title in 2026.

France have won the World Cup twice, most recently in 2018. They narrowly lost the 2022 final on penalties to Lionel Messi’s Argentina, despite a hattrick from star striker Kylian Mbappé.

Can I watch France at the FIFA World Cup 2026 on my mobile?

Of course, most World Cup broadcasters have streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or via your phone’s browser. As explained above, that includes M6+ and beIN Sports, both of which you can access via your mobile.

You can also stay up-to-date with all of the key World Cup moments on the official social media channels on X/Twitter (@FIFAWorldCup), Instagram (@FIFAWorldCup), TikTok (@FIFAWorldCup) and YouTube (@FIFA).

Disclaimer

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

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French football fans are justifiably confident that Les Bleus can go all the way and win the 2026 World Cup. Sitting at the top of the FIFA World Rankings and having made the last two finals (winning one and losing an excruciating penalty shoot-out in the other), Didier Deschamps’ men…