After four years of anticipation, the FIFA World Cup™ is back. It’s one of the biggest sporting events on the planet. And this time, it’s happening on home turf.
With matches taking place across the United States, the World Cup 26™ brings international attention and local pride together like never before, with more than a month of matches. For sports bars and restaurants, that means an opportunity to bring the energy of a massive global event to your screens.
Showing the FIFA World Cup 2026™ is a goal every sports bar and restaurant should have this summer. Here’s how DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS® helps you show every match with a consistent, reliable setup.
What Is the FIFA World Cup™?
The World Cup™ is the planet’s biggest international tournament for a single sport. That sport is soccer. (Or “football,” to the rest of the world.) Teams represent their home countries to compete for one of the most coveted and recognized titles in all athletics.
With decades of history and a following that spans continents, the tournament draws worldwide audiences and creates shared viewing moments that reach far beyond traditional soccer fans, especially here in the U.S.
Started in 1930, the globe-trotting event is held every four years. This year, the tournament’s 23rd, is poised to be the biggest yet.
FIFA World Cup™ = Major Crowd Appeal
In recent years, interest in soccer has kicked way up, and the numbers back it up.
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More than 50 million Americans watched international soccer—meaning not just Major League Soccer (MLS) here in the U.S.—in 2024, a 60% increase since 2018.
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The 2022 FIFA World Cup™ Final drew nearly 26 million U.S. viewers, the largest audience ever for a men’s soccer match in this country.
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MLS continues to build buzz, including among a younger-skewing fan base, with 70% of MLS Cup viewers under age 45. That’s a demographic every business wants to win over.
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Because matches are played across North American time zones, many get rolling during lunch, afternoon and evening hours, aligning with peak times when customers are already in your space—or weren’t and may now want to be.
This year’s World Cup™ takes that momentum and runs with it. With growing audiences and a new kind of national attention, showing the 2026 tournament lands your business in the zone for fans who follow it all and casual viewers alike.
What’s New for the FIFA World Cup 2026™
This World Cup™ is about to be the largest in the history of the tournament, and your venue can be part of it. Here’s what’s new for this year, and why it matters right now.
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48 Teams: An expanded field brings in more nations and more fans, increasing the chances of customers showing up to support their teams.
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104 Matches: Way up from 64 matches in previous tournaments, this year’s packed calendar adds dozens of additional viewing opportunities across your hours of business.
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11 U.S. Host Cities: This year, it’s happening here. U.S. host cities include New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco and Kansas City. All of these major metros are homes to an MLS club that anchors a surrounding region of supporters.
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39 Days: A tournament window of more than a month—up from 29 days in 2022—builds excitement up to fever pitch when the final finally arrives, giving you a chance to attract existing fans and create new ones in the time leading up to it.
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More Knockout Rounds: The addition of a Round of 32 brings more early “win-or-go-home” matches, extending the stretch of high-stakes play that typically drives the biggest crowds.
More teams, more matches and more action—right here at home—all add up to more opportunities for fans to watch the World Cup™ at your place.
When Does the World Cup 26™ Kick Off?
The FIFA World Cup 2026™ runs from June 11 through July 19, with matches broadcasting nearly daily throughout the tournament’s 39 days.
The group stage fills the early weeks with multiple matches per day, followed by knockout rounds that get ever more intense as the field narrows. This steady progression keeps customers engaged from the opening match through the final, giving your business a consistent reason to keep screens active and customers coming back.
How to Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™
The tournament will air on FOX and FS1, official English-language broadcasters of the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS lets you show FOX and FS1 across your screens with a consistent and reliable setup, making it easy to offer your fans a front-row seat to every match throughout the tournament.
Spanish-language coverage is also available through additional networks, giving you flexibility to serve a wider audience depending on your customer base.
Matches happen over multiple weeks, so planning ahead makes all the difference. Keep track of match timing and daily schedules with DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS’s online sports schedule.
How to Get Your Business Match-Ready
The World Cup 26™ isn’t just about individual matches. It’s about creating an experience that builds over time, and an atmosphere that invites it. Here are a few cards that can set your team up for success:
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Highlight Key Matchups: Follow the tournament to find out when teams with longstanding rivalries are about to face off. With 48 teams from around the world, there’s always something bringing the heat.
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Throw In Some Themes: Score credibility points with soccer-themed specials. For instance: Kickin’ Chicken Sandos, Header Cheddar Cheese Dip, Goalie Guacamole or Yellow Card Jello Shots. If you’ve got the bandwidth, tie promos and time specials with teams taking the field that day.
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Keep Screens Active: When customers know you’ve always got a game to show, your place becomes the place for them to catch up on a matchup.
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No Juggling: A pro soccer match isn’t the time. With a consistent and reliable setup, and no inputs to switch, DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS means you and your team never need to, either.
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Pitch-Perfect Promotion with MVP: Line up for a solid drive to every matchday with the DIRECTV MVP Marketing Program, with signage, coasters, glassware and other in-venue items customized to make your business look and feel like the best place to watch.
When customers know they can count on your business to have the matches on, it turns a one-time visit into a routine.
Set Your Business Up for a Strong Finish with DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS
The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is all about momentum. Your business can be ready to tackle it.
DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS brings live sports, news and entertainment together in one place, helping you manage multiple screens and keep up with a fast-moving tournament schedule.
With 99% worry-free signal reliability, and standard professional installation included at no additional cost, your business can be ready to show every match, from the very start of this every-four-years soccer spectacle to the final whistle, and beyond.
Ready to get started? Explore DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS packages today.
