The biggest sporting event on the planet is underway and down to the knockout state. If you want to catch World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR then we have good news. That's because the soccer extravaganza is streaming for free in glorious 4K HDR in several countries.
That means you'll be able to see Messi, Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and all the rest in pixel-perfect high-definition, and catch every goal, every appalling VAR decision and every England penalty miss without a hint of low-res nastiness.
Away on business or on holiday during Qatar 2022? No problem - because you can tune in wherever you are, thanks to the wonders of the internet and a VPN. So read on and we'll show you how to watch World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR.
Free 4K HDR streams
Watch World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR for free
The days of having to put up with 1080p World Cup coverage are over - well, so long as you have a 4K TV and live in one of the countries where the tournament is being shown in that format.
If you're in the UK then you certainly needn't worry, because the BBC will be showing every one of its games live in 4K HDR, for free, via the BBC iPlayer.
The Beeb has 33 matches in total, including three round of 16 games, two quarter-finals, at least one semi-final and the World Cup final 2022 itself.
What's more, all of these games will be streamed in native 4K - so no upscaling here.
You can also get free 4K streams from Qatar 2022 in India via the JioCinema app. JioCinema will be showing every game in 4K and the app is compatible with Chromecast, making it easy to stream the action to your TV. Once again, you can use a VPN to watch Qatar 2022 if you're not in India during the tournament.
ExpressVPN is our favorite option, due to its risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee and speedy performance. We've got more details of how to use it below.
4K HDR streams from anywhere
Watch World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR from any country
Not at home during World Cup 2022 but still want to watch your local coverage? No problem - simply sign up for a VPN and view from anywhere.
A VPN is a piece of software that allows you to change your apparent location, so that your computer thinks you're at home even when you're not. For instance, if you usually live in the UK but are in the USA during Qatar 2022, you could use a VPN to watch BBC iPlayer like normal.
ExpressVPN is our favorite right now, but we have other options in our best VPN for streaming list.
4K HDR streams in USA
Watch World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR in the USA
The situation is a little more complicated for those of you who want to watch World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR in the United States.
First, the good bit: Fox Sports will air every match in 4K HDR. That means you can tune in via your cable provider or the Fox Sports and Fox Now apps, as well as on FuboTV.
The bad news is that Fox's 4K streams are merely upscaled 1080p HDR feeds, rather than the native 4K you get on BBC iPlayer. Footage should look better than 1080p, but depending on how well your TV handles upscaled content, it may not compare to 'real' 4K HDR.
It's also worth noting that 4K won't be available if you're watching Fox on web browsers or mobiles. Helpfully, there is a list of Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku devices that are 4K-compatible with Fox.
If you're watching Fox via FuboTV, meanwhile, you can choose from a wider selection of 4K-compatible devices, including mobile phones. You'll need to sign up for the $79.99 FuboTV Elite plan to gain access to 4K streams on FS1 and Fox, but there is a 7-day free trial.
Matches will also be live on Peacock Premium in Spanish, but only in 1080p HD.
Australia
Can you watch World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR in Australia?
The simple answer is no! Though Aussie soccer fans can watch Qatar 2022 for free via SBS on their TV or by using the SBS On Demand streaming service, there's no mention of it having 4K - so you're probably stuck with 1080p here.
Of course if you're a Brit who happens to be in Australia during the tournament, you could use a VPN to watch BBC iPlayer even when not at home.
4K HDR TVs - what to buy
Of course you'll need a 4K TV to watch Qatar 2022 in the absolute best quality, so if you don't already have one then now is the time to upgrade.
The fact that the World Cup has moved to November/December is helpful in this regard, because it starts just as Black Friday deals are really ramping up. That means you can pick up one of the best 4K TVs for a bargain price before the first game on Sunday.
So, what should you buy? Well, we've got a full guide to the best Black Friday TV deals, and we'll be updating that regularly between now and Black Friday itself on Friday, November 25. But to help you out, we've included a few of our favorite 4K sets below.
LG C2
Rated as our best TV of 2022, the LG C2 packs a stunning OLED display, an a9 Gen5 AI Processor, Dolby Atmos, and voice control. If you want the latest and greatest TV, then this is the model for you. It comes in sizes from 42in right up to 83in - although expect to pay top dollar for the biggest model - and is highly recommended for the World Cup.
Hisense U8H
We consider the U8H to be the best budget 4K TV, thanks to its great brightness and gaming features including its 120Hz refresh rate. Support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG means it's ready for any HDR format you stream to it and it's far more affordable than you might expect.
Samsung Q60B
If your budget is a little smaller than look no further than the Samsung Q60B - a 4K QLED TV that is a bit of a steal at the price. It's a super-slim model (Samsung designated it as one of its ‘AirSlim’ range) that measures less than 26mm deep even in a 50in screen size. Contrast and color are both good, and it's compatible with HDR10+ Adaptive. Well worth a look, especially if you can find it for a bargain in the Black Friday sales.
