Basketball World Cup 2019 live stream: how to watch FIBA final online from anywhere

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By Kevin Lynch
published

It's Argentina vs Spain - so who will win the 2019 World Cup?

2019 fiba basketball world cup live stream
(Image credit: FIBA)

The 18th edition of the FIBA Basketball World Cup was blown wide open after the USA were defeated by France in the round of eight. But that now feels like a distant memory as Spain and Argentina prepare to battle it out for the trophy and the title. And you're in the right place to discover how to get a Basketball World Cup live stream from your corner of the Earth.

Basketball World Cup 2019 - where and when

The Basketball World Cup 2019 will be played across eight venues in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

The tournament begins on Saturday, August 31, with the final scheduled for Sunday, September 15 at 8pm local time, 8am ET / 5am PT in the US, 2pm CET, 1pm BST.

The 2019 edition is taking place in China across eight different venues. While usually held every four years, there's been a bit of a longer wait for Basketball fans this time out, with the tournament delayed by a year, meaning it now falls out of sync with the FIFA World Cup for the first time. There's also a new expanded format, with 32 teams now taking part, up from the previous 24.

Two-time defending champions USA went into the tournament as clear favorites, but they suffered a shock (yet comprehensive) defeat at the hands of France. Having qualified for the 2010 Olympics, they'll be expecting much more success there with the likes of Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving, Paul George and Anthony Davis all likely to throw their hats into the ring.

And to be fair, the chasing pack this time out has looked stronger than ever. Spain were tipped by many at the start to be genuine contenders and have safely made it through to final. While Argentina took out France in the other semi-final on Friday.

Beyond the tournament itself there's more at stake - the  FIBA World Cup will this year act as qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, with seven of the twelve spots up for grabs (the top two finishers from both Europe and the Americas, along with the top one from each of Africa, Asia and Oceania).

If you want to know where you'll be able to watch all the action - it's ESPN+ if you're in the US - we'll tell you exactly where you can catch it online with our 2019 Basketball World Cup live stream guide below.

How to watch the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 from outside your country

Below we have a full rundown of your viewing options for the 2019 Basketball World Cup in different countries - check out how to watch in the US (where ESPN+ will be streaming the tournament in its entirety), the UK, Canada and Australia.

The problems start when you try to watch your domestic coverage online while out of the country. Give it a go and you'll quickly find your stream in geo-blocked.

That's super annoying, but not unavoidable. We've found that using a Virtual Private Network - or VPN - to be a handy solution. You select a server in your home country and then watch as if you were sat back at home on your couch.

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We've tested all of the major VPN services and we rate ExpressVPN as the absolute best, thanks to its killer combination of security, speed and simplicity to use. It's also compatible with loads of streaming devices such as Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and Apple mobiles. So to get that home broadcast and stay safer online, ExpressVPN is your best option (or one of the other best VPN services out there as listed below).

1. Express VPN (comes with a 30 day money back guarantee) This is the #1 rated best VPN in the world right now, with those previously mentioned levels of security, speed and compatibility putting it to the top of the list. You can try it out for a month for free or sign up for an annual plan and get 3 months absolutely FREE. Check out Express VPN

2. NordVPN: SmartPlay tech makes NordVPN a great choice for streaming. It's really affordable, too

3. IPVanish supports up to 10 devices, so great on the go

Once installed, you simply open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location - it's super easy to do. Choose a server in your home country and watch the Basketball World Cup if you were back there.

FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 fixtures

Semi-finals

Spain vs Australia - Friday, September 13 - Times TBD

Argentina vs France - Friday, September 13 - Times TBD

Final

SF1 vs SF2 - Sunday, September 13 - 8pm local time (8am ET, 5am PT, 10pm AEST)

How to watch the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019: US live stream 

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ESPN has the English language rights to this year's tournament, and will be broadcasting all matches live online via its streaming service ESPN+.

It costs $4.99 per month so pretty darn cheap - which includes access on laptop, desktop, mobile app and TV streamer apps such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, PS4 and Xbox. And there's no commitment either, you can discontinue the service at any time.

Click the link to head to sign up to ESPN+ or learn more about the service

If you're outside the US but still want to watch that ESPN+ coverage, then there's the possibility of using a VPN to access it from abroad.

- Discover our pick of all the US's best sports streaming sites

How to live stream the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in Australia 

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Fox Sports Australia will be showing all the basketball action from China down under. The Fox Sports package doesn't come cheap, BUT there is a two week FREE trial if you want to give it a try before you buy. 

Australians can also live stream 2019 FIBA World Cup action via the Kayo Sports streaming service, which features no lock-in contracts and also includes access to over 50 sports, both live and on demand.

Kayo Sports Basic Package costs $25 per month and allows users to stream across two devices simultaneously. Alternatively, the service also offers a Kayo Sports Premium Package, which provides three concurrent streams for $35 per month.

The Foxtel Now and Kayo Sports apps means you can access this from your chosen device wherever you are (although you'll need a VPN if you're taking that abroad).

How to watch FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in Canada for free

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Streaming service DAZN  have once again nabbed exclusive live broadcasting rights away from TSN for a major sporting event. 

It'll be showing all 92 matches live and is offering a one-month free trial, followed by a rolling $20-a-month or annual subscription of $150. 

DAZN supports iOS and Android phones and tablets, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Chromecast, Apple TV and a gaggle of Smart TVs.

But it's also worth noting that you can get a one month free trial for DAZN. So if you've never used it before, you'll effectively be able to watch the whole thing for free with that trial. Great news!


How to stream the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 live in the UK 

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No mainstream broadcaster has the live rights to show the Basketball World Cup in the UK, but thankfully there's an easy way to get your fix of hoop-shooting action.

Streaming service LiveBasketball.tv have the rights to show all 92 games of the tournament and are offering a special FIBA World Cup Pass, giving you access to broadcasts of each match as it happens.

The pass costs £6.99 but only lasts for the duration the tournament - if you're a big basketball fan it might be worth considering the service's monthly option for the same fee, with wide-ranging coverage of the sport from around the world throughout the year. 

Kevin Lynch
Kevin Lynch

Kevin Lynch is a London-born, Dublin-based writer and journalist. The author of Steve Jobs: A Biographic Portrait, Kevin is a regular feature writer for a number of tech sites and the former Technology Editor for the Daily Mirror. He has also served as editor of GuinnessWorldRecords.com and has been a member of the judging panel for the BAFTA British Academy Video Game Awards. Alongside reviewing the latest AV gear, smartphones and computers, Kevin also specialises in music tech and can often be found putting the latest DAWs, MIDI controllers and guitar modellers through their paces. Born within the sound of Bow Bells, Kevin is also a lifelong West Ham fan for his troubles.