The Socceroos return to the World Cup, and contrary to what many people can say, they have a legitimate chance of reaching the second stage of the competition for the second time in history. With that in mind, fans will not want to miss a beat of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and they will be able to follow their antics on Russian soil even if they can't be glued to their TV sets.
Let's have an in-depth look at how Australian fans will be able to follow the competition, whether it's free or if they have to pay a bit of money.
World Cup streaming via the official broadcasters
SBS
The Australian public TV network SBS will provide access to 25 games. While that number seems a little low compared to the 64 games of the competition, the network will offer comprehensive coverage of the World Cup via TV, website, apps and radio. All games broadcast on TV will be available for fans to watch both live and on-demand on their dedicated website and via their two apps, with one of them using cutting-edge technology.
Added to that, all of the Socceroos' games will be broadcast by the Australian TV network, and if that wasn't enough, fans will get a chance to see teams such as Germany, the highly anticipated Portugal vs Spain clash, and many other nail-biting matches.
Optus Sport
Optus Sport will offer full coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup via their TV channels, mobile apps and website. This is not a free service, meaning that fans will have to subscribe to Optus Sport to watch all the games. Users will gain access to all games, plus pre and post-match coverage of every game, with interviews and even more features.
World Cup streaming in English
SBS's The World Game website - will give fans the opportunity to stream one game per day, both live and on-demand. All games will be broadcast in HD quality via this website, giving fans the same experience they would get if they were watching the game on their TV.
Optus Sport online player - This service will stream every one of the 64 World Cup games available for Australian fans, but they'll have to pay for it. Fans will have to pay a AU$15 monthly fee to watch the competition, but once they pay, they'll get full online access to 39 exclusive games.
Apps with live World Cup games
2018 FIFA World Cup VR App - This option will make fans feel as part of the action. With VR technology, fans will be treated to 180 and 210 degree shots for each and everyone of the 25 games SBS broadcasts, giving them a whole new perspective of the beautiful game.
2018 FIFA World Cup App - This give fans the option to follow 25 games being broadcast by SBS in HD while on the go. As of now, this app is only available for Android users, but plans to release it for iOS users are in place and should become a reality before the tournament begins.
Optus Sport app - This app gives fans the chance to sync up to four devices with one Premium or Paid Optus Sport account. Furthermore, fans with an Optus Mobile plan can watch the tournament on their smartphone for free, while fans with pre-paid access to Optus' Mobile network will need to have balance available for data use. This app will broadcast all 64 games of the competition, and can be dowloaded by iOS, Android and Apple TV users.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup Match Streaming Schedule
Please see below for detailed broadcast listings of all 64 World Cup live match broadcasts across all available official platforms in Australia.
