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How Fans Can Watch All Germany Matches at the 2026 World Cup for Free

Female soccer fan with Germany merchandise.
ARD, ZDF, and Joyn will broadcast Germany's group stage matches at no additional cost to viewers. Photo: Getty Images/PhotoAlto
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June 15, 2026, 1:39 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is already underway. Germany kicked off the tournament on June 14 with a match against Curaçao. For fans, following the national team remains straightforward: The remaining group stage matches will be broadcast for free on free-to-air TV and additionally streamed live on Joyn. Those who want to watch all the World Cup matches will find them exclusively on MagentaTV.

Germany’s Group Stage Matches

After the opener in Houston, two more challenges await coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team in the group stage. On June 20, Germany will face Ivory Coast in Toronto. Five days later, the final group match against Ecuador will take place at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford. Fans can watch both matches without an additional subscription:

  • Saturday, June 20, 2026, 10 p.m. (German time)
    Germany vs. Ivory Coast
    Broadcast on ZDF and free on Joyn livestream
  • Thursday, June 25, 2026, 10 p.m. (German time)
    Germany vs. Ecuador
    Broadcast on ARD and free on Joyn

This means the two remaining group stage matches will also be freely accessible. Viewers can follow the games both on TV and on mobile devices.

More on the topic

How the World Cup Mode Works

With 48 participating nations, the World Cup is larger than any previous tournament. To reach the knockout stage, it’s no longer enough to finish in one of the top two spots in the group stage. Additionally, the eight best third-placed teams will qualify for the next round.

This means more opportunities for teams to advance. At the same time, a good placement in the group remains important, as it can influence the opponents in the following rounds.

Also of interest: All details about the 2026 FIFA World Cup at a glance

If Germany wins Group E, the team would play in the round of 16 on June 29 at 10:30 p.m. German time in Boston. A third-placed team would be the potential opponent. If the team finishes second in the group, the DFB team would play on June 30 at 7 p.m. German time in Dallas. In this case, the runner-up from Group I would be the likely opponent.

Advancing as a third-placed team is also possible. However, Germany would then face a group winner. Possible opponents include England, Portugal, or Argentina.

Follow the Remaining Matches for Free

After the already completed opening match against Curaçao, the focus now shifts to the decisive phase of the group round. The matches against Ivory Coast and Ecuador will be broadcast for free by ARD and ZDF and additionally streamed on Joyn. Those who wish to continue following the German national team at the 2026 World Cup will not need a pay-TV subscription.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TECHBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@techbook.de.

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