Watching the FIFA World Cup 2022 in glorious 4K HDR is easier than you'd think. Both the UK and India have free live 4K HDR streams, providing fans of high resolution football a truly world-class viewing experience. Away from your home in the UK or India right now? You'll need to use a VPN for watching the World Cup in 4K HDR from abroad. Read on for full details, including France vs Australia on BBC iPlayer.
Dates: 20th Nov – 18th Dec 2022
FREE 4K streams: BBC iPlayer (UK) | JioCinema (India)
Watch anywhere: ExpressVPN
Qatar might have lost its opening match but the 2022 World Cup has plenty to more action to offer. The world's top 32 football teams, featuring the likes of Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar, will play 64 matches to decide who gets to take home the famous gold trophy, and, at What Hi-Fi?, there is absolutely no question in our minds that the world greatest soccer spectacle deserves to be watched and streamed in 4K HDR.
Thankfully, a handful of global broadcasters are showing for the ball on this one and will provide top quality HDR streams, ensuring that fans can get a 4K football fix during the first ever winter World Cup. But, be warned, not all 4K streams are equal, not all devices support it, and getting all of that high-res action doesn't come without its costs.
Naturally you'll need a 4K HDR TV or 4K HDR projector to enjoy 4K HDR content, so if you don't have the right kit, that should be your first priority. US fans with an Xfinity X1 subscription and a Dolby Vision TV can watch in Dolby Vision HDR.
Already sorted? Read on and we'll show you what you need to know for watching the 2022 World Cup in 4K HDR and exactly which services you'll want to use.
Watching FIFA World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR for free
In the UK, BBC iPlayer will show all of its 2022 World Cup matches for free and in 4K HDR. That's 33 games including three round of 16 games, two quarter-finals, at least one semi-final and the World Cup final 2022 in 4K HDR too. It's worth noting that these are native 4K resolution streams. They should offer some of the best World Cup 2022 coverage out there.
The only downside is that, if previous tournaments are anything to go by, the streams are often delayed by about 30 seconds. So, if anyone nearby is watching or listening on another device, they'll know about the goals before you do. You have been warned.
The other thing to watch out for is that not all devices support the BBC iPlayer app in 4K HDR. The list of iPlayer 4K-enabled kit is pretty extensive but a few notable absentees are the Xbox, web browsers and mobile phones.
Another option for free coverage is the JioCinema app in India which says it will show every World Cup match for free and in 4K.
Abroad during World Cup 2022? Use a VPN BBC iPlayer or JioCinema in 4K while away from home.
We recommend ExpressVPN as it comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Full details on how to use a VPN just below.
Watch a World Cup 2022 live stream in 4K HDR from anywhere
You won't be able to watch your local World Cup 2022 live stream in 4K HDR 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 World Cup 2022 live stream from anywhere in the world.
We rate ExpressVPN as the best VPN for watching the World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.
USA: Watching the World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR
In the United States, Fox Sports has confirmed that it will air every match in 4K HDR but it's worth noting that Fox's 4K streams are in fact upscales of its 1080p HDR feeds and not native 4K. If you're after the very highest quality - 4K with Dolby Vision – you'll need to subscribe to Comcast's pricey Xfinity X1 cable-and-streaming service.
Nonetheless, you can watch Fox's 4K World Cup 2022 games on the Fox Sports and Fox Now apps as well as Fubo TV. You won't get 4K through Fox on web browsers or mobiles. These are the Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku devices that are 4K-compatible with Fox.
Interestingly, FuboTV has a far wider selection of 4K-compatible devices, including mobile phones. You'll be able to see all the World Cup 2022 games on FS1 and Fox through FuboTV in 4K. You'll need the FuboTV Elite plan at $79.99 per month but don't forget that there's a 7-day free trial to make sure you like it.
Matches will also be live on Peacock Premium in Spanish, but only in 1080p HD – not 4K Ultra HD.
Lastly, if you're happy with re-runs, free streaming app Tubi will be making games available to watch in 4K around 30 minutes after the final whistle has blown.
Australia: Can I get World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR?
If you're in Australia, local streaming service SBS on Demand will provide live coverage of the Qatar World Cup. But the broadcast makes no mention of 4K HDR, so it sounds like Aussies are out of luck.
Don't forget: licence-paying UK fans can watch most matches, including the World Cup, final free in 4K HDR on BBC iPlayer while fans in India can watch every match free in 4K HDR on JioCinema.
Always use a VPN to access these services when travelling outside of the UK/India.
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