It’s official: Team USA will play Sweden in the Round of 16. The American women made it into the knockout round after a tense 0-0 draw against Portugal in the last game of group play. Sophia Smith and the rest of the squad looked disjointed and out of sync for the entirety of the match but nevertheless clinched the runner-up spot in Group E. The US will now face a Swedish team that won Group G by cruising to victory in all three of its World Cup games. Team USA vs. Sweden will be held on Sunday at 5 a.m. ET (2 a.m. PT) on Fox.
Meanwhile, we’ve reached the last day of group play with two crucial Group H matchups that will decide the final entrants into the Round of 16. South Korea will play Germany at 6 a.m. ET (3 a.m. PT) on Fox, while Morocco takes on Colombia, also at 6 a.m. ET (3 a.m. PT), on FS1. Germany can advance if it beats South Korea, while Colombia can win the group with win or draw against Morocco.
Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting the tournament this year, which makes viewing games in the US a little tricky. The games are on Thursday evening in Australia and New Zealand but early Thursday norming Later in the day on this side of the Pacific.
Megan Rapinoe and the US women’s national team are hoping for yet another FIFA Women’s World Cup win.
What channels do I need to watch the World Cup live?
Fox holds the English-language rights to World Cup games in the US, while NBC-owned Telemundo offers all the games in Spanish. Games in English will air on Fox and FS1, while games in Spanish will be on Telemundo and NBC’s Peacock Premium streaming platform.
What’s the schedule for the World Cup?
This year, the tournament has expanded from 24 to 32 teams, which have been drawn into eight groups of four teams. Group winners and runners-up move on to the Round of 16 knockout phase, which begins Aug. 5. The quarterfinals begin Aug. 10, with the semifinals starting Aug. 15. The losers of the semifinal games will play in a single game for third place on Aug. 19. The World Cup final will conclude the tournament on Aug. 20.
Here’s the schedule for the rest of group play (all times ET):
Thursday, Aug. 3
- Group H: South Korea vs. Germany (6 a.m. on Fox)
- Group H: Morocco vs. Colombia (6 a.m. on FS1)
Click here for the full World Cup schedule.
When does Team USA play?
Team USA is in Group E, along with Vietnam, Portugal and the Netherlands. Each team played one game against every member of the group. The team with the most points at the end of group play, along with the runner-up, moved on to the Round of 16. Team USA finished group play with one win and two draws, giving them the runner up spot in Group E. They will now play Sweden in the Round of 16. Here’s Team USA’s schedule:
- Friday, July 21: USA 3-0 Vietnam
- Wednesday, July 26: USA 1-1 Netherlands
- Tuesday, Aug. 1: USA 0 – 0 Portugal
- Sunday, Aug. 6: Sweden vs. Team USA, 5 a.m. ET (2 a.m. PT) on Fox
Can I watch live World Cup matches for free in the US?
Not really. Many of the live TV streaming services, listed below, allow free trials that would allow you to watch games for free before having to pay for a subscription.
Peacock Premium is the cheapest way to stream all the games live, though the broadcasts are in Spanish as part of NBC’s Spanish-language coverage.
However, you will be able to watch full-length replays of the games in English minutes after they end on the free ad-supported streaming channel Tubi TV. You’ll have to sign up for an account on the service to get the games, but you won’t need a credit card or subscription.
How to watch the FIFA Women’s World Cup online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the tournament locally, you may need a different way to watch matches — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Australia, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
Watch the FIFA Women’s World Cup for free in the UK
Viewers in the US might not be able to watch the Women’s World Cup for free, but those in the UK can. Football fans in the UK are among the luckiest in the world, as all matches of the FIFA Women’s World Cup are being shown live on free-to-air channels, with the BBC and ITV sharing broadcast duties. This means all games will be available to stream for free on either BBC iPlayer or ITVX.
BBC iPlayer has dedicated apps available for Android and Apple mobile devices, as well as a vast array of smart TVs and streaming boxes. All you need is a valid UK TV license to stream the tournament.