The biggest event of the year is kicking off in Qatar. The FIFA World Cup is finally back on our screens after a long four-year wait. The world is eagerly anticipating the best football players from around the globe to go head to head for the grand prize. The golden trophy is one that every single player in football dreams of lifting one day, but very few will get to do it.
Players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe are ready to fight for their countries and score wonderous goals as the world watches on in awe. One thing is certain; you don’t want to miss a single minute of the action taking place on the pitch at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. But? The problem is that many live-streaming services can be pricey.
Luckily though, there are two main ways that you can watch the World Cup for free this year, and you’ll want to take advantage of these to catch every minute of every game. All you need is some help from a nifty cybersecurity tool. Want to watch the World Cup for free this year? Keep reading to find out how.
Free World Cup Live Streams
So, where exactly are these free World Cup live streams? Well, there are two main methods that you can use to find free World Cup live streams this year.
The first is through international broadcasting partners. We know that streaming services like ESPN and Sky Sports can be pricey, and that’s because these media companies need to pay millions of dollars to secure the broadcasting rights that allow them to live stream every World Cup match.
But some broadcasters in countries like Austria and Luxembourg allow their customers to watch the World Cup for free. The only problem is that if you’re not in one of these countries, you’ll be blocked from watching the live stream. That’s because media companies need to follow strict rules when they secure broadcasting rights for the World Cup. One of these rules is that they cannot stream the matches outside their specified country or region.
Websites will use your IP address to determine your device’s location. If they find that your device is located outside of the required region, you will be blocked from watching the live stream. This is more commonly known as geo-blocking. But luckily, there is a way to get around it, which we’ll cover shortly.
First, we need to tell you about the other method you can use to live stream World Cup matches for free this year. Several free sports live-streaming websites on the internet, such as US TV and 123 Sport, will let you watch the World Cup for free. However, the disclaimer with these sites is that they do not host the live stream, so you can never be sure of what the true source of the live stream is. It could be coming from an unlicensed or illegal source. Cybercriminals often use these live streams to lure unsuspecting victims to launch their cyber attacks.
Why You Need a VPN
That’s where our handy cybersecurity tool comes into play. The tool in question here is a virtual private network, better known as a VPN for short. VPNs are used to encrypt your internet connection to keep your data safe and prevent anyone else from monitoring your internet traffic or spying on your internet history. The government and your ISP will mask your online activity while using a VPN. So, if you’re an option for one of those free sports live-streaming sites, make sure you’re using a VPN to keep your device secure and private while you enjoy the game.
VPNs also allow you to connect to secure global servers in other countries and cities around the world. When you connect to one of these servers, your IP address will be masked, and your device will adopt the IP address of the server that you have connected to. Remember, websites use your IP address to determine your location, so changing it will also spoof your device’s location.
Suppose you want to tune into one of the legitimate and legal free live streams that are only available in specific countries. In that case, you simply need to hook your VPN up to the relevant server, and you’ll bypass geo-blocking restrictions in no time.
Choosing the Right VPN
There are plenty of free VPNs out there, but you need to ensure that you’re using a premium VPN instead. It’s not worth taking shortcuts by pairing a free VPN with a free live stream.
If you’re using a free VPN, you’ll encounter several problems, such as slower connection speeds, more ads, poor security and privacy, fewer global servers to choose from, and daily data limits.
