The World Cup 2026 final and third place play-off are almost here and fans can still watch the games on BBC and ITV even if they are on holiday outside the UK
England’s World Cup dreams may be over, but there are still two big games left to play before the tournament wraps up for another year. Following their defeat to Argentina, the Three Lions have remained in the USA ahead of their third-place play-off with France on Saturday (July 18, 10pm), where a win will represent the team’s best World Cup performance since 1966.
Lionel Messi’s title holders will then face European champions Spain on Sunday (July 19, 8pm) in New Jersey for a shot at becoming the third nation to win two successive World Cups (after Uruguay and Brazil). Both France vs England and Spain vs Argentina will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, with the final also showing on ITV1 and ITVX.
These platforms can normally only be accessed in the UK, which may present difficulties for football supporters on holiday during the competition, but fans can still watch the World Cup from abroad if they stream over a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This service from providers such as Proton VPN grants access to UK-only channels and streaming apps by changing the IP address of a laptop, tablet or mobile device.
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This means World Cup viewers can still access the matches on BBC and ITV while overseas in most nations. Those watching BBC or iPlayer also need a valid UK TV licence, reports the Mirror.
Be aware that ITV takes the view that the use of a VPN to watch content from another territory may be a breach of the relevant broadcasters’ terms of service and may constitute copyright infringement. It is the user’s responsibility to ensure that their use of a VPN is legal, and Football.London does not encourage any illegal use of a VPN.
Watch the World Cup outside with UK with Proton VPN
from £2.39 p/m
Proton VPN
Get Proton VPN here
Football fans can watch the FIFA World Cup on BBC and ITV from outside the UK with Proton VPN, which is knocking up up to 70% off its monthly and annual subscriptions until July 20.
How to watch World Cup games from abroad
For those seeking a new VPN package to stream World Cup fixtures, Proton VPN is a privacy-focused service developed by the team behind Proton Mail. It is also running a World Cup promotion offering up to 70% off until July 20.
This represents a saving of £134 on a two-year plan at £2.39 per month (was £7.99) and £62 off a one-year plan at £2.99 per month (was £7.99), both of which are billed annually. For those who prefer greater flexibility, a rolling one-month plan is now available at £3.99 (was £7.99).
It should be noted that the two-year and one-year plans must be paid in full upfront at £57.36 and £33.48 respectively. Each Proton VPN subscription allows customers to switch their location to one of more than 140 countries across the globe.
As Proton is based in Switzerland, the brand claims it operates under one of the world’s most robust privacy jurisdictions, with an ad-blocker and malware protection providing additional security. It supports up to 10 devices simultaneously across Apple iOS, Android, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick, smart TVs, Windows, Mac and even routers and Linux.
Proton is not the sole VPN provider worth considering, with ExpressVPN a well-regarded alternative. Pricing is slightly lower here, starting at £1.99 on the Basic two-year plan, which also includes 10 entries into an Apple iPhone 17 Pro raffle, but provides access to servers in fewer countries (105).
Elsewhere, NordVPN boasts servers in an impressive 224 locations, but this comes with a higher price tag from £2.59 on the 24-month Basic package. Those choosing Proton VPN can take advantage of a 30-day money-back guarantee for added reassurance if they’re new customers.
What do Proton VPN users say?
Proton VPN claims that more than 100 million customers use its service to access blocked content and safeguard their online privacy. It also received an ‘exemplary’ five-star rating from PCMag in 2025, which commended its ‘unmatched privacy, value, and features’ that establish it as ‘the top VPN service’.
On Trustpilot, many users have awarded Proton VPN a flawless five stars, with one review saying: “I’ve used Proton VPN for over two years without a single issue. The connection is consistently fast and stable across all protocols, and the apps work like a charm on desktop and mobile.”
Another says: “It’s fast, reliable, [has] dozens and dozens of global locations to choose from and never drops connections.”
While largely positive, this four-star review noted some possible drawbacks, saying: “A bit slow but generally reliable. I’ve had a pretty good experience, I think the speeds could definitely be better, but controls and settings on your VPN connection are a big upgrade from my previous service.”
Meanwhile, one five-star review says: “Their servers work great, exceptionally good ping compared to my last provider. I don’t mind captchas, it’s a VPN after all, but for me it does exactly what I want it to do and it’s speedy.”
