Where to Watch Football World Cup 2026 for Free: ČT, Nova, Oneplay

Where Football World Cup 2026 Is Broadcast in the Czech Republic

Trefa.app is a Czech app for private sports prediction leagues for 5 to 50 people, free of charge and with no money-based betting. If you are looking for reliable information on where to watch the 2026 World Cup for free, we have prepared a detailed overview of broadcasting rights and available television and online channels. Please note that this article targets a Czech audience and focuses specifically on Czech broadcasters: ČT, Nova, and Oneplay.

From a viewer's perspective, the 2026 Football World Cup brings a massive number of innovations. The tournament takes place from 11 June to 19 July 2026, and for the very first time in history, it is being hosted by three countries simultaneously: the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada. The matches will be played across a total of 16 host cities throughout the North American continent. The format of the tournament itself has also undergone a fundamental change. The number of participating teams has expanded to 48, divided into 12 groups, which means the total number of matches has increased from the previous 64 to an unprecedented 104 games.

For Czech fans, the key news is that television rights for free-to-air broadcasting in the Czech Republic have been acquired by two independent television companies. Česká televize (ČT) and the Nova group have divided the broadcasting of all 104 matches exactly in half, meaning 50 and 50 exclusive broadcasts each. The remaining four most highly anticipated matches of the entire tournament will be broadcast on both stations simultaneously.

ČT sport free

Česká televize is a traditional and long-standing broadcaster of major international sporting events, and the upcoming 2026 Football World Cup will be no exception. On its free-to-air channel ČT sport, it will offer viewers 50 exclusive matches. In addition, it will broadcast selected shared duels concurrently with its commercial competitor. These simultaneously broadcast events include the opening match of the tournament, selected matches of the Czech national team in the group stage, the third-place play-off, and the final itself.

According to televizniweb.mediar.cz, the public broadcaster will also focus on providing maximum comfort in the digital space. For fans who prefer watching sports on a computer, tablet, or mobile phone, ČT iVysílání and the specialised ČT sport Plus platform are ready. This online offering includes a total of 54 broadcasts completely free of charge, for which Česká televize holds the broadcasting licence.

In addition to the live broadcasts themselves, the news website ct24 and the Česká televize sports portal will offer an extensive accompanying programme. Viewers can expect regular studio coverage, detailed analyses, interviews with experts, and comprehensive highlights from all match days. Watching via Česká televize's internet platforms is free of charge within the territory of the Czech Republic and requires only a stable internet connection.

Nova and Nova Action free

The Nova group is entering the broadcasting of the Football World Cup with a highly ambitious plan and extensive coverage. Information from tv.nova.cz confirms that the commercial station will broadcast the other half of the tournament. It will thus offer 50 exclusive matches that will not be available on Česká televize screens, alongside the shared key broadcasts.

The main focal point of the Nova group's free broadcasting will be the freely available Nova Action channel, which is a standard part of digital terrestrial television DVB-T2 (FTA). Some selected attractive duels, or matches with high viewership potential, may also appear on the main TV Nova channel.

Similarly to the public broadcaster, Nova is preparing a rich accompanying programme, incorporating a modern television studio, expert analyses from former professional players, and detailed tactical breakdowns of match situations. The strict division of broadcasting rights means that to watch the entire tournament for free on television, you will have to switch between the two stations according to the specific schedule. A clear example is the conclusion of the tournament: the first semi-final on 14 July will be broadcast exclusively by Nova Action, whilst the second semi-final on 15 July will run exclusively on ČT sport.

Oneplay (Voyo) — paid complete package

For football enthusiasts who do not want to check every day which free channel is broadcasting a particular match, there is a paid but highly convenient alternative. The Oneplay service, which is integrated within the established Voyo platform, is the only one on the Czech market to offer complete coverage of the entire North American championship.

Subscribers will find all 104 matches of the tournament in one place here. This comprehensive package also includes those broadcasts primarily produced and exclusively aired by Česká televize. The advantage of this solution is, above all, maximum user comfort – all live broadcasts, replays, and highlights are available in one modern user interface without the need to constantly monitor the television schedule and switch between the public and commercial broadcasters.

This option is exceptionally suitable, especially for viewers who plan to watch a large part of the tournament on catch-up. Due to the time difference between North America and Europe, many matches are played in the late night or early morning hours of Central European Summer Time (CEST). The ability to play any match the next morning without the risk of finding out the result beforehand is a deciding factor for many fans.

Czech matches: where and when

The Czech national football team, led by manager Miroslav Koubek, has qualified for the World Cup after a long 20 years. The national team's last appearance at the world championship dates back to 2006. The Czechs have been drawn into a very interesting Group A, where they will sequentially face South Korea, South Africa, and the host nation, Mexico.

If you want to watch the Czech national team at the 2026 Football World Cup, you must prepare for the fact that in some cases, you will have to wake up significantly early. Given that the tournament takes place on the North American continent, the time difference plays a crucial role here. Most matches take place at night for the European viewer.

"At 1 a.m. I won't brew tea, but I've got coffee ready — I already slept through one night match during the Qatar World Cup," says Karel from our company prediction league. And a majority of fans will likely find themselves in a similar situation.

Looking at the schedule, it is clear that the only match at a "humane" time for a Czech fan in the group stage is the Thursday duel on 18 June at 18:00 CEST against South Africa. This match from Atlanta will be broadcast exclusively by Česká televize. The remaining two matches are played deep in the night, specifically at 04:00 and 03:00 in the morning. If you look at the overall 2026 Football World Cup schedule, you will find that night-time viewing will be the standard for most of the championship.

And where to safely bet without money

May and June are months in many offices when the usual morning conversation by the coffee machine smoothly shifts from work projects to football. The championship represents an ideal opportunity to naturally connect colleagues across departments. Watching results together and friendly rivalry can liven up company culture much more effectively than forced team-building activities.

Since you are already planning your viewing, a prediction league is a perfect addition. Trefa.app is an application designed exactly for groups of colleagues and friends. You create a private league for 5 to 50 people, invite others easily via a link, and predict the exact scores of matches. Everything works for free, without connection to betting shops, and without playing for real money.

You can try out the application environment in a demo mode without the need to register. Furthermore, Trefa.app functions as a modern PWA (Progressive Web App). A user opens it in the Safari or Chrome browser, clicks on "Add to Home Screen", and gets an icon on their phone just as if it were a native application. This completely eliminates the tedious downloading from the App Store or Google Play.

Especially for the night matches of the 2026 World Cup, you will appreciate the sophisticated system of push notifications, which will alert you to the approaching kick-off in five waves (4 hours, 2 hours, 1 hour, 30 minutes, and 10 minutes before the match). If you do happen to sleep through a night broadcast, you will find an automatic recap email in your inbox in the morning with an overview of the results and the current standings of your league.

Read our detailed guide on how to set up a 2026 Football World Cup prediction league, and proceed to log in so you can manage to set up your league before the first Czech match, which is played on Friday, 12 June, at 04:00 in the morning.

Frequently asked questions

Is ČT sport free?

Yes, the television channel ČT sport and the associated online platforms ČT iVysílání and ČT sport Plus are available completely free of charge within the territory of the Czech Republic as part of public service broadcasting.

Do I need Oneplay (Voyo) for all 2026 World Cup matches?

You do not. You will see all 104 World Cup matches for free if you combine the broadcasts of Česká televize (50 exclusive matches) and the Nova group (50 exclusive matches). The paid service Oneplay (Voyo) is intended for viewers who demand maximum comfort and want to have the entire tournament on a single platform.

How to watch ČT iVysílání from abroad?

Broadcasting rights for sports transmissions are strictly limited to the territory of the Czech Republic. If you are abroad during the tournament, live broadcasts on ČT iVysílání will be unavailable due to geo-blocking.

Which streaming platform has the 2026 World Cup?

The complete rights to stream all matches of the championship in one place are held by the paid platform Oneplay, which is part of the Voyo service. Selected matches (54 broadcasts) will then be offered for free by the online platform ČT sport Plus, or alternatively ČT iVysílání.

Is the 2026 Football World Cup broadcast in 4K?

Specific technical broadcasting parameters (4K / UHD resolution) have not been officially confirmed by either Czech broadcaster as of the publication date of this article. We recommend following updated information directly on the websites of Česká televize and TV Nova in the weeks leading up to the start of the tournament.

Can I watch the Czech national team matches on both stations?

Most of them, yes, but there is an exception. The opening match of the Czech national team against South Korea (12 June) and the final group match against Mexico (25 June) will run simultaneously on ČT sport and Nova Action. However, the middle duel against South Africa (18 June at 18:00 CEST) is broadcast exclusively by Česká televize.

Who broadcasts the 2026 Football World Cup final?

The final match, which will take place on Sunday, 19 July 2026, at 21:00 CEST at the MetLife Stadium, will be broadcast by both main television stations simultaneously. Viewers will thus be able to choose whether they prefer the commentators of Česká televize or the TV Nova team.