| ExpressVPN to watch any stream | Kick-off: 3pm GMT / 10am ET | UK: BBC (FREE) / ITVX (FREE) | AUS: SBS (FREE) |
Argentina vs France live stream preview
The World Cup final. Argentina vs France. Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappe. Whatever way you stack it, football matches don't come any bigger, more star-studded or dusted in glitter as the game that comes around once every four years between the two best international teams on the planet. This is the South American champions against the reigning and defending champions in the World Cup final. This. Is. Massive. There will be no chance of a repeat of the deluge that accompanied the trophy lift in Russia four years ago, with temperatures of 24 degrees expected for the final in Doha. Make sure you know how to watch an Argentina vs France live stream from anywhere today and all games from the FIFA World Cup 2022 online for free.
The teams are in and Argentina make one change for the final as Angel Di Maria is deemed fit enough to start for La Albiceleste, replacing Leandro Paredes as the South Americans revert to a 4-3-3 system. Lionel Messi starts in his 26th World Cup appearance for his country, with Julian Alvarez alongside him up front. Nicolas Tagliafico continues at full-back with Marcos Acuna only fit enough for the bench. Penalty-saving specialist Emiliano Martinez starts in goal. France, meanwhile, make two changes as Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot have recovered from the virus sweeping the squad to come in for Ibrahima Konate and Youssouf Fofana. That means Kylian Mbappe starts on the left wing with Olivier Giroud through the middle and Ousmane Dembele on the right. Antoine Griezmann is the playmaker, with Theo Hernandez providing overlapping width from left-back.
Dates: Sunday 18th December, 2022
Kick-off: 3pm (GMT) / 10am (EST)
Free live stream: BBC iPlayer / ITVX
Watch anywhere: ExpressVPN
When Argentina lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia on the World Cup's third day, probably not even Lionel Messi would have thought he would be leading out his country for a second final in three tournaments a month later. Messi has galvanised this team with a Diego Maradona-inspired singularity to contribute five goals and three assists in six games to reach the final. Whether it's the Mexico goal that kickstarted the turnaround, the dribble against the Dutch or the slow-slow-quick-quick-slow run and assist in the semi-final against Croatia, the Flea has lit up the tournament he says will be his final in an Argentina shirt.
Coach Lionel Scaloni has built a functional team of hard workers – and in Julian Alvarez an in-form goalscorer – around his superstar, but the team spirit he has fostered goes a long way. As does the febrile support from 40,000 Argentines in Qatar, all singing the ska-pop song Muchachos, ahora nos volvimo' a ilusionar – Lads, you’ve made us hope again – by Argentine nine-piece band La Mosca, which has become the country's unofficial anthem. One more game for the complete set, Leo.
No team has defended the World Cup since Pele's Brazil in 1962, while Vittorio Pozzo in 1934 and 1938 with Italy is the only manager to win the tournament more than once. This is the level of history to which France aspire in this final. That a team missing Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante, Presnel Kimpembe and Karim Benzema through injury for the whole tournament could still make it to a second successive final is nothing short of extraordinary, but such is the strength in depth of Les Blues' stacked squad, Didier Deschamps' side have done so with relative ease.
Five-goal Kylian Mbappe has been the star. His raw pace and incredible close control at top speed have dropped jaws throughout the tournament. Sure, you could argue that England are the only top-tier nation they've played en route to Lusail, but France have controlled nearly every game, not by sterile possession but ruthless counter-attacking and the bright promptings of a rejuvenated Antoine Griezmann. Throw in Olivier Giroud, who has usurped Thierry Henry as his country's all-time top scorer this tournament, and this is some team. Plus, there's even a rumour that 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Benzema, never replaced in the squad, might be fit to make the bench for the final.
The key in this game, as with any Argentina fixture featuring Messi, is how France contain the walking magician wearing Albiceleste No.10. Defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is only 22 but has proven an adept Kante replacement, while Youssouf Fofana also shone in the French engine room in the semi-final against Morocco, but limiting Messi's influence is another task entirely. Mbappe's speed on the counter, especially up against a creaking Nicolas Otamendi, tore Argentina apart in the last 16 encounter between these two sides at Russia 2018 and anything close to a repeat of that 4-3 epic would do just nicely.
This World Cup final kicks off today at 3pm GMT / 10am ET on Sunday at the 88,966-seater Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, at Qatar 2022. Make sure you know how to watch an Argentina vs France live stream and see all of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Argentina vs France live stream
You can watch the Argentina vs France live stream for free on BBC One. It's also available to watch free online on BBC iPlayer in 4K HDR. BBC iPlayer's World Cup coverage is shot in native 4K resolution. You might find its a touch delayed but it's the best quality stream available and well worth tuning into.
UK football fans, whether at home or in another country, can tune into the World Cup games for free on BBC iPlayer. Outside the UK at the moment? Use a VPN to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad.
UK football fans can also watch Argentina vs France for free in HD (but not in 4K HDR) on ITVX (STV in Scotland) if you can't bear to enjoy the final without either adverts or the dulcet tones of Ally McCoist.
We recommend ExpressVPN as it comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Full details on how to use a VPN below.
Watch Argentina vs France live stream from anywhere
You won't be able to watch your regular Argentina vs France live stream while traveling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you. You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though.
It's a straightforward piece of software which sets your device to appear as if it's in the right country, allowing you to watch any Argentina vs France live stream from anywhere in the world.
We rate ExpressVPN as the best VPN for World Cup 2022. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.
How to use a VPN for Argentina vs France live stream
1. Install the VPN of your choice. ExpressVPN is the one we recommend.
2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. For the Qatar World Cup, you may wish to choose 'UK' for BBC.
3. Then head over to BBC on your browser or device and enjoy the free Argentina vs France live stream!
USA soccer stream: watch Argentina vs France
In the USA, Fox Sports has the TV rights to the Argentina vs France live stream. The match airs on Fox. Anyone with Fox on cable can watch on TV or on the Fox Sports or Fox Now apps as usual but you can watch an Argentina vs France live stream without cable too.
Remember, though, if you're a UK citizen abroad, you can use a VPN to watch World Cup 2022 free on iPlayer and ITVX.
Cordcutters can also stream every game live on Peacock Premium (from $5/month) in Spanish.
Canada soccer stream: watch Argentina vs France
Cable network TSN has the rights to watch Argentina vs France in Canada. That means that Canadians will need to add TSN to their cable TV package or subscribe to TSN for streaming-only for $19.99 a month or $199.90 per year.
FuboTV subscribers will not be able to watch World Cup 2022, unlike those in the US. That said, if you're a US citizen away from home and in Canada, you can use a VPN to watch World Cup 2022 on FuboTV while away, just like you would normally.
Watch Argentina vs France live stream in Australia
If you're in Australia, you can watch an Argentina vs France live stream on SBS. Local streaming service SBS on Demand will provide live coverage every Qatar World Cup game.
Stuck away from your home in Oz at the moment? You'll need to use a VPN to access the free SBS live stream without being geo-blocked.
Argentina vs France live stream kick-off times
Global Argentina vs France kick-off times
- Local: 6pm
- UK: 3pm
- Central Europe, including France: 4pm
- USA (EST/PST): 10am / 7am
- Australia: 2am (Monday)
- New Zealand: 4am (Monday)
- India: 8.30am
- Argentina: 12pm
World Cup 2022 fixtures – dates & TV times
All times show in GMT (UK time)
FINAL
Sunday 18th December 2022
Argentina vs France (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 7pm)
- Upgrade the action: best TVs
- Go big this year: best projectors
