How to watch England vs Argentina: Free Streams, TV Channels & Kick-Off time as Lionel Messi meets Three Lions in FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final

Rodrigo De Paul and Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrate after the 3-1 win in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final against Switzerland at Kansas City Stadium on July 11, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri
Lionel Messi faces England for the first time in his career (Image credit: Getty Images)

Lionel Messi takes on England for the first time in his career as Argentina face their old rivals in a FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final laced with history in Atlanta — and you can live stream the game around the world for free.

From a feisty encounter in 1966, to the 'Hand of God' 20 years later and David Beckham's kick out at Diego Simeone at France '98, this fixture has provided some unforgettable World Cup moments — but this is the first time England have faced Argentina in the semi-finals or later. In fact, they have not met at all since a friendly in November 2005, three months after Messi's international debut. The Albiceleste captain was not involved that day but he will look to produce another match-winning performance in Atlanta, having seen his team-mates make the difference in the 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals. With eight goals to his name, Messi has shown at this World Cup that he remains top-class, even aged 39.

England have their own superstars capable of hauling their team to victory, which is exactly what Jude Bellingham did in the quarter-final against Norway. The Real Madrid midfielder scored twice in a 2-1 extra-time win, but manager Thomas Tuchel was far from happy with the Three Lions' performance. England are yet to play to their potential at this tournament but they find themselves in just their fourth World Cup semi-final as they look to reach the final for the first time since winning the trophy in 1966. Defender Jarell Quansah remains sidelined as he serves the second game of his two-match suspension.

So, read on as we show you exactly how to watch England vs Argentina for free from anywhere in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

How to watch England vs Argentina for free

England vs Argentina is available to watch for free in multiple countries, including the UK, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland and Turkey.

Abroad? Can't access your free stream? Unblock your free World Cup stream with Norton VPN — more on that below.

Use a VPN to watch England vs Argentina live streams

It’s the World Cup, and if you’re traveling, you might discover your usual England vs Argentina stream is suddenly unavailable due to geo-restrictions.

Don’t worry, that’s exactly where a VPN can help. A virtual private network lets you connect to servers around the world so you can securely access your usual World Cup coverage as if you were back home.

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How to watch England vs Argentina in the US

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US viewers can watch England vs Argentina on Fox (English commentary) or Telemundo (Spanish commentary).

Fox is available on cord-cutters like YouTube TV (free trial), Hulu+Live TV, Sling (select markets), Fubo or DirecTV.

We would recommend Sling TV:

Watch Fox's World Cup coverage on Sling

Watch Fox's World Cup coverage on Sling

Get Sling's Blue Plan today and stream England vs Argentina. Your first month comes in at only $23 with prices rising to $45.99 thereafter.

Those looking for a streaming service instead can watch England vs Argentina on Fox One (3-day free trial). Telemundo is also available via Peacock ($10.99/month).

Visiting the US from the UK? You can still watch your World Cup stream for free thanks to Norton VPN (try for 60 days).

How to watch England vs Argentina in the UK

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UK customers are in luck as they can stream England vs Argentina for free on BBC One. Live coverage is also available via BBC iPlayer.

You require a TV license and a valid UK postcode for an account (e.g. SE1 7PB).

Norton VPN can unlock your stream if you're abroad today.

How to watch England vs Argentina in Australia

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(Image credit: free)

England vs Argentina will be shown for free in Australia on SBS On Demand.

The streaming platform has every game of the tournament for free, making it the perfect place for your World Cup viewing.

Traveling for work or on holiday? A VPN like Norton VPN can help unlock your free stream.

How to watch England vs Argentina in Canada

Canada

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In Canada, TSN and free-to-air channel CTV will be broadcasting England vs Argentina.

You can live stream via the TSN+ streaming platform, which costs CA$8 per month or CA$80 per year.

CTV will require TV provider login details for you to watch for free online.

Outside of Canada? Use Norton VPN whilst you're traveling away from home to unlock your stream.

How to watch England vs Argentina in New Zealand

New Zealand

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In New Zealand, England vs Argentina will be broadcast for free on TVNZ+.

While some games require the tournament pass (NZ$44.95) this isn't one of them and New Zealand residents can stream at no cost.

England vs Argentina: Match Information

What time does England vs Argentina start?

England vs Argentina kicks off at 8pm BST / 3pm ET on Wednesday, July 15. That's 5am AEST on Thursday, July 16 in Australia.

What are the squads for England vs Argentina?

England

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City).

Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa).

Forwards: Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).

Argentina

Goalkeepers: Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa).

Defenders: Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Facundo Medina (Marseille), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid).

Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (River Plate), Rodrigo de Paul (Inter Miami), Valentin Barco (Strasbourg), Giovani lo Celso (Real Betis), Ezequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea).

Forwards: Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolas Gonzalez (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Nico Paz (Como), Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan).

Swipe to scroll horizontally
England vs Argentina: Road to the semi-finals

Stage

England

Argentina

Group stage

Group L: 1st, 7 points

Group J: 1st, 9 points

Last 32

Beat DR Congo (2-1)

Beat Cape Verde (3-2 AET)

Last 16

Beat Mexico (3-2)

Beat Egypt (3-2)

Quarter-finals

Beat Norway (2-1 AET)

Beat Switzerland (3-1 AET)

What is the weather for England vs Argentina?

The temperature in Atlanta on Tuesday is forecast to be around 82F (28C) at kick-off.

The good news is that the stadium is fully air-conditioned and has a retractable roof, which will make the conditions much more comfortable for players and fans.

Can I watch England vs Argentina on my mobile?

Of course, most broadcasters have streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or via your phone's browser.

You can also stay up-to-date with all of the key World Cup moments on the official social media channels on X/Twitter (@FIFAWorldCup), Instagram (@FIFAWorldCup), TikTok (@FIFAWorldCup) and YouTube (@FIFA).

Disclaimer

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Freelance writer

James Roberts is a freelance sports journalist working across several of Future’s brands, most notably FourFourTwo. He started his career at the Oxford Mail, where he covered Oxford United home and away, before becoming a sports sub-editor for various national newspapers.

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