# Any way for an American to WATCH World Cup online? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 16, 2006, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931 "2006-06-16T15:21:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/1 "2006-06-16T15:21:17Z")
Hey all, I’m sitting here at work (shhhh) and wanted to pop up the World Cup games in the background to enjoy during the day. I had been given a link by a co-worker to a Brazilian site, but that seems to no longer work. Is there a legal, preferably free (but would pay a small charge) way to watch these games through some sort of streaming media online? ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/2 "2006-06-16T16:18:58Z")
I’d like to find this out as well, haven’t come up with anything yet on my own though. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/3 "2006-06-16T16:26:18Z")
This is a good start. [ESPN 360](http://proxy.espn.go.com/broadband/ebb2/360Web/20051201/espn360.html?affiliate='+affiliate,'espnlite','scrollbars=no,resizable=no,width=1010,height=660). Pick a game. Unfortunately I think it’s Internet Explorer only. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/4 "2006-06-16T16:42:12Z")
This is awesome. THANKS! ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/5 "2006-06-16T16:50:23Z")
Always happy to help fellow yanks get into the World Cup craze. It’s pretty damn exciting this year. If you can download and install programs, you can use TUVplayer, which will give you access to ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, and a bunch of other (foreign stations). Details [here](http://www.ghacks.net/2006/06/09/worldcup-preparations/). This is what I use at home, watching fullscreen on my media center PC connected to the TV. Can’t install stuff at work, so I there I use the ESPN360 player. ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/6 "2006-06-16T17:37:41Z")
> [@Jayrot](#): > > Always happy to help fellow yanks get into the World Cup craze. It’s pretty damn exciting this year. > > If you can download and install programs, you can use TUVplayer, which will give you access to ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, and a bunch of other (foreign stations). Details [here](http://www.ghacks.net/2006/06/09/worldcup-preparations/). This is what I use at home, watching fullscreen on my media center PC connected to the TV. Can’t install stuff at work, so I there I use the ESPN360 player. This is fantastic. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/7 "2006-06-16T19:30:41Z")
I’m a Yank, rarely wtch futbol, and even I know the USA team should never have been ranked #5! ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/8 "2006-06-17T00:03:10Z")
Unfortunately, ESPN360 only works with some ISPs (I’m guessing because they have to have a dedicated local cache). Any other ways? ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/9 "2006-06-17T02:54:36Z")
Did you try the TUVplayer I linked to above? ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/10 "2006-06-17T02:57:34Z")
Oh and also for the ESPN360, are you using Internet Explorer (ugh!)? It doesn’t work with Firefox. I’d be suprised if it doesn’t work for you **iamthewalrus(:3=**. My confidence comes from the fact that I, too, am in Santa Barbara! Cox cable internet? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/11 "2006-06-17T06:09:46Z")
Go to [www.mediahopper.net](http://www.mediahopper.net) and click on watch tv then click on one of the countries and finally click on the underlined (hyperlinked) numbers to watch the live stream. Of course, you’ll want to do this for one of the stations listed only when it’s actually showing the matches. I keep getting to the local Internet Cafe to watch it on the streams from MBC who (apparently) has the broadcasting rights here to the matches. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-for-an-american-to-watch-world-cup-online/360931/12 "2006-06-17T06:11:56Z")
Whoops! Make that [www.mediahopper.com](http://www.mediahopper.com)