How To Watch The World Cup Finals Online With a VPN

Learn how to catch the last games of the 2018 Russia World Cup by using one of these three great VPNs

As the biggest sporting event in the world draws sadly but inexorably closer, it’s safe to say it’s been a tournament to remember. Germany, gone, Spain gone, Portugal, gone, and even Brazil. Only England, Belgium, France and Croatia remain. One of them has to win, the other three have to lose. But what’s the best way to watch them if you happen to be on-line?

Watch the rest of the best with your own personal VPN connection from wherever you are in the world

Well, wonder no more, because anyone wanting to catch the latest action from the semi-finals and the inevitable follow on final, whoever makes it there, should be checking out the services of a VPN to watch them, before ordering in the pizzas and the beer.

First things first. WTF are VPNs? and why should I be using one for the World Cup?

Simply put, a VPN is a Virtual Private Network, and they’ve been around for years. All you really need to know about them for the purposes of watching the World Cup is that it hides or ‘masks’ your IP address (the address that lets you access the internet) and access on-line content by placing you ‘virtually’ somewhere else in the world, and at the same time hiding your real location.

Why would I want to hide my location?

This man and his country are not in the semi-finals or the final, which is something of a surprise, really.

So you can access regional and national geographic web content that may otherwise be blocked or restricted. In football or ‘soccer’ terms as some people insist on calling it, this means you can join millions of other fans to watch not only the World Cup, but also popular TV shows from other countries. 

A VPN is also the ideal way to watch the remaining games of the tournament for your favourite team whether you happen to be a Russian living in England, A Swede living in France, or a Belgium living wherever the Belgians go and do.

There are also a host of other reasons using a VPN is a really good idea as well; increased hacking threats, record-setting numbers of data breaches, and improved privacy from governments and ISPs. A VPN is for more than just helping you watch the World Cup. Combine this with the fact that using a bona-fide proper VPN company, and the wholesome truth that virtually all the major platforms offer some sort of  freemium model, there’s no reason not to use a VPN to access the World Cup.

Awesome! So, I’m a Belgian living in England, and it feels like all I continuously keep hearing is that “It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming home,” and stuff about Harry Kane. How do I watch the Belgian or Swedish side play using Belgian or Swedish homegrown TV channels?

Another superb and insightful question. Go you for being so amazing today!

Well that’s just it, as we pointed out above, it doesn’t matter where you’re from, there’s a VPN that will give you access right now. Essentially, as long as you have an internet enabled device capable of streaming video, then you will be able to watch whatever game you want.

It all comes down this week! But will you be able to watch the matches in the language you want?

Are there free VPNs? (A word of warning)

Yes, yes there are. We even have a few on FileHippo.com. But beware, not all VPNs are created equally, do the same thing and are as easy to use as the one listed below! A recent study also found that 75% of 238 ‘free’ VPNs contained tracking software. Couple that with the fact that free VPNs can also shower you with ads, and there’s no guarantee that the VPN will be working come match time, so you might be better off taking the small financial hit that comes from joining a ‘proper’ VPN service.

For a complete review and breakdown of the five best VPNs of 2018, you should read the fabulous article from my colleague Arianna Gael, here. She’s done the leg work and played the full 90 minutes with extra time and penalties so you don’t have to. And of course if none of them take your fancy, you can always check out all the other VPNs we have listed on Filehippo.com to find the one that fits you the best.  

But if you’re feeling lazy and just want the list, then keep on reading for my choice of the best VPNs to watch the end of the 2018 Russia World Cup.

1: HMA! Pro VPN: Great choice of name and globally recognised as one of the best VPNs around.

HMA! Pro VPN

As well as having stand out security and servers all over the world, “HIde My A$$” has over 900 servers in 200 countries. A 1 month subscription is a mere US$11.99, but they are currently running a World Cup Special 50% off a yearly subscription for only $71.88. For that you get coverage for PC, Android, iOS, and even Linux devices with 24/7 tech support and a 30 day money back guarantee.

HMA! Pro VPN is reliable and guaranteed to deliver a World Cup semi and/or final that is watchable and makes sure you wont miss out on the action. It’s also my number one pick for the best VPN to watch the football on this week.

You can download HMA! Pro VPN for free, right here on FileHippo.com

2: AVG Secure VPN: An online security brand you can trust with renowned reliable security you can depend on

AVG Secure VPN – “military grade” security for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android.

AVG Secure VPN is a VPN offering from one of the world’s most well known antivirus companies. AVG AntiVirus FREE routinely tops all the reviews for the best free antivirus you can have on your PC. While Secure VPN isn’t free itself, it comes from a name you know you can rely on. The service is great, secure, and comes with a clean and simple interface almost anyone can use. It also has a money back guarantee, has Android and iOS apps, and a unique military grade encryption. Admittedly what you might need that level of security for a football match is anyone’s guess, but it’s nice to have.

On the downside it doesn’t have the same geographic spread as HMA above, and there’s no monthly subscription offer, only a yearly one, but at $59.99, it’s not to be sniffed at. Still a rock solid choice!

You can download AVG Secure VPN here on FileHippo.

3: CyberGhost VPN: Up to 7 devices streaming at the same time. Watch everything, miss nothing. Beautiful crisp and intuitive interface as well!

CyberGhost’s main selling point is that you can tunnel and stream your way through the end of the World Cup on your PC, your phone, your mate’s phone, your laptop and your kid’s tablets, while your non-football loving other half can watch a movie, all at the same time, and through the same VPN. You can also use CyberGhost to, wait for it, connect your 52” Smart TV and other IoT devices, so you can watch France reach their potential on the big screen, or England fall at the semi-finals again.  

CyberGhost also has some unique features compared to other VPNs, including unlimited server swaps, money back guarantee, and 24/7 tech support. It doesn’t work with the US Netflix however, and there’s no free trial, unlike with the other two above. That kind of sucks, but CyberGhost wont let you down.  A one month subscription will set you back $11.99, but there’s currently a special offer on the 12 month subscription for only $2.75 a month, which is nice.

You can download CyberGhost here.

Needless to say, whichever one you choose, you wont be disappointed.

Ok. so I’ve downloaded my VPN, and bought the one-month subscription. How do I watch the football?

Really easily.  

Will it be England’s World Cup?

While the actual method for watching the World Cup matches will be a bit different depending on which VPN you chose, the process is pretty much the same.

1. Select the country you want to watch the Football from, for example, England.
2. Use the web to find what local stations or regional broadcasters are broadcasting the matches. If I want to watch England, I would look for the BBC and download the BBC iPlayer.
3. Get the beers in, order some pizza, watch the match.

We hope this guide to watching the the last days of the World Cup has been helpful, and the best of luck to whatever team you support or want to win!

To learn more about VPNs, the reason we should all be using them, and the benefits they provide, check out our article on why you should be using a VPN.