SBS will broadcast every game of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in a major rights deal.
Fans across Australia will be able to catch all 104 matches of the expanded tournament live and free via the hybrid public broadcaster.
The deal will also extend the partnership between FIFA and SBS to 40 years.
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SBS win exclusive TV and streaming rights for FIFA World Cup 2026
Known as the traditional 'home of football' in Australia, SBS will broadcast their 11th consecutive World Cup in 2026.
Optus Sport had the rights in 2018 before SBS simulcasted a large chunk of the tournament due to technical difficulties.
Every match of the upcoming 48-nation event will be shown across television channels SBS, SBS Viceland and streaming platform SBS On Demand, with the tournament to take place across June and July in 2026.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, every free-to-air network and Optus Sport expressed interest in rights for the tournament, but it was SBS who emerged victorious.
You heard it here first! In 2026, football comes home. It’s the @FIFAWorldCup and it’s live, all in one place, on SBS ⚽ pic.twitter.com/5JiaQTtW30
— SBS Australia (@SBS) October 31, 2023
"Football is in the DNA of SBS," James Taylor, managing director of SBS, said.
"SBS has been the home of football on Australian television for almost 40 years and we could not be more thrilled to announce that we will broadcast the 2026 tournament from North America, which will have more teams, more matches and draw more eyeballs than ever before."
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SBS most recently broadcast the Qatar World Cup in late 2022, where the Socceroos progressed to the Round of 16 in a memorable run.
Where is FIFA World Cup 2026?
The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup will be played across three North American nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The United States and Mexico have both previously hosted men's World Cups, with Mexico set to become the first country to host three men's tournaments (1970, 1986, and 2026).
After hosting in 1994, the United States will soon join the list of countries to have hosted multiple men's World Cups, alongside Mexico, Brazil, Italy, France, and Germany.
FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities
A total of 16 venues have been selected by FIFA to host 2026 World Cup matches.
The host venues will be spread across the three countries, with 11 venues in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada.
Two of the stadiums — Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles — have previously hosted World Cup finals.
As it stands, the Estadio Azteca remains one of only two venues in the world to have hosted two men's World Cup finals, alongside the Maracana in Brazil.
Confirmed venues to host FIFA World Cup 2026 matches
| City | Country | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | Mexico | Estadio Azteca | 87,523 |
| New York City | USA | MetLife Stadium | 82,500 |
| Dallas | USA | AT&T Stadium | 80,000 |
| Kansas City | USA | Arrowhead Stadium | 76,416 |
| Houston | USA | NRG Stadium | 71,795 |
| Atlanta | USA | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 71,000 |
| Los Angeles | USA | SoFi Stadium | 70,240 |
| Philadelphia | USA | Lincoln Financial Field | 69,176 |
| Seattle | USA | Lumen Field | 69,000 |
| San Francisco | USA | Levi's Stadium | 68,500 |
| Boston | USA | Gillette Stadium | 65,878 |
| Miami | USA | Hard Rock Stadium | 64,767 |
| Vancouver | Canada | BC Place | 54,000 |
| Monterrey | Mexico | Estadio BBVA | 53,500 |
| Guadalajara | Mexico | Estadio Akron | 46,232 |
| Toronto | Canada | BMO Field | 45,500 |