How to watch New Zealand vs Belgium: live stream the World Cup 2026
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New Zealand face Belgium in what promises to be a David-versus-Goliath Group G encounter at the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 26th. The All Whites are punching well above their weight in their third-ever World Cup appearance, having battled through the OFC pathway in August 2025, while Belgium arrive in California carrying the weight of a golden generation that has promised much but delivered little on the global stage. Ranked ninth in the world and armed with stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Thibaut Courtois, the Red Devils know anything less than three points would raise uncomfortable questions. For New Zealand, simply staying competitive against European royalty would be a victory in itself.
Every match streams live and free in English on BBC iPlayer and ITVX in the UK and on SBS On Demand in Australia. These broadcasters geo-block streams outside their home country, so you need a VPN to watch from abroad. We recommend NordVPN for reliable unblocking, fast HD streaming, and broad device support across all three broadcasters.
The clash unfolds under the lights at the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, a venue that has witnessed World Cup drama since 1994. Kickoff is set for 8:00 PM PDT / 11:00 PM EDT / 4:00 AM BST (June 27th) / 5:00 AM CEST (June 27th) / 1:00 PM NZST (June 27th). Kiwi fans can catch every moment free on TVNZ, while Belgian supporters have their pick of RTBF Auvio (for French speakers) or VRT MAX (for Dutch speakers). Both services lock their streams to their home territories, meaning anyone watching from abroad will need a VPN to bypass the geo-blocks and access the free coverage.
Where to watch New Zealand vs Belgium
Below is a complete overview of where to watch and when the match starts in your time zone.
| Country | Streaming Service | Price | Local kickoff time | Notes |
| United States | Fox Sports / Telemundo | From $84.99/month (Fubo) / Free OTA | 8:00 PM PDT / 11:00 PM EDT | Fox Sports via cable/Fubo/Sling/YouTube TV; Telemundo free over-the-air |
| New Zealand | TVNZ | Free | 1:00 PM NZST, June 27th | All New Zealand matches free; TVNZ+ Event Pass for full tournament |
| Belgium | RTBF Auvio / VRT MAX | Free | 5:00 AM CEST, June 27th | RTBF French commentary, VRT Dutch commentary; both cover all 104 matches |
| United Kingdom | BBC iPlayer | Free | 4:00 AM BST, June 27th | Free BBC account required with UK postcode |
| Australia | SBS On Demand | Free | 1:00 PM AEST, June 27th | All 104 matches free; SBS account required |
| Canada | CTV / TSN | Free / From CA$24.99/month | 11:00 PM EDT | CTV free for select matches; TSN paid for full coverage |
How to watch New Zealand vs Belgium for free with a VPN
TVNZ streams all New Zealand matches free in English, while RTBF Auvio and VRT MAX carry all 104 matches free in Belgium (French and Dutch respectively). BBC iPlayer and ITVX in the UK, plus SBS On Demand in Australia, offer free English-language coverage of every World Cup match. All five broadcasters geo-block streams outside their home country, so you need a VPN to watch from abroad.
- Choose a reliable VPN - I recommend NordVPN, now with 75%% OFF
- Download the VPN and create an account
- Connect to a server in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, or Belgium for a free broadcast
- Go to the broadcaster's website and start streaming the match
New Zealand vs Belgium live coverage
BBC iPlayer and ITVX ask for a UK postcode during signup. Use any valid UK postcode – for example, SW1A 1AA (Westminster) or M1 1AE (Manchester). The postcode is not verified against payment details or ID, so any properly formatted UK postcode works. This is a standard practice for accessing geo-restricted free content with a VPN.
Why you need a VPN to watch New Zealand vs Belgium
FIFA carves up World Cup broadcast rights country by country, which means free broadcasters like TVNZ, RTBF Auvio, VRT MAX, BBC iPlayer, and SBS On Demand slam the door on anyone trying to stream from outside their licensed territories. Attempt to watch from abroad and you'll hit a wall, complete with an error message like the one below.
A VPN rewrites your digital geography, convincing the broadcaster you're tuning in from within its borders and opening the gate to the free stream. It's equally valuable for travelers and expats who want to maintain access to their paid home broadcaster while halfway across the world. For an in-depth look at the best VPNs for streaming, including head-to-head speed comparisons and unblocking success rates across major sports platforms, check out our comprehensive guide.
How to watch New Zealand vs Belgium free with a VPN - detailed guide
Choose a reliable VPN with servers in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, or Belgium
NordVPN is our top choice for streaming the FIFA World Cup thanks to its reliable performance and consistent access to major broadcasters. In our tests, it delivered fast, stable connections that handled HD live streams without buffering, even during busy match times. It works well with popular platforms like BBC iPlayer, ITVX, SBS On Demand, TVNZ, RTBF Auvio, and VRT MAX, and also includes Smart DNS for devices that don't support VPN apps. Plans start at $3.49/month with a two-year subscription, and every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it without risk.
Install the VPN app on your device
Download and install the VPN on whichever screen you're planning to watch on. NordVPN supports Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, smart TVs (Android TV, Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV), and browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. A single account grants you 10 simultaneous connections, so you can stream on your laptop, queue it up on your phone, mirror it to your tablet, or cast it to your TV without juggling logins.
Connect to a server in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, or Belgium
Fire up the VPN app and pick a server in the country of the broadcaster you want to access. Targeting BBC iPlayer or ITVX? Connect to a UK server. Prefer SBS On Demand? Choose Australia. Want TVNZ? Select New Zealand. Going for RTBF Auvio or VRT MAX? Connect to Belgium. The VPN swaps your IP address for one that matches that country, making the broadcaster think you're watching from a café in London, a living room in Sydney, a flat in Wellington, or a bar in Brussels. If you need a walkthrough on virtual location-switching, our guide on how to change your location with a VPN breaks it down step by step.
Open the broadcaster and create a free account if required
Navigate to BBC iPlayer, ITVX, SBS On Demand, TVNZ, RTBF Auvio, or VRT MAX in your browser or through their app. BBC iPlayer, ITVX, SBS On Demand, TVNZ, RTBF Auvio, and VRT MAX all ask for a free account before you can hit play. BBC iPlayer wants a UK postcode at signup (any valid UK postcode like SW1A 1AA will do the trick). SBS On Demand, TVNZ, RTBF, and VRT only need an email address and a few basic details. The entire signup process clocks in under two minutes.
Start the New Zealand vs Belgium match and keep the VPN active
Hunt down the New Zealand vs Belgium live stream on your chosen broadcaster's World Cup hub. The whistle blows at 8:00 PM PDT / 11:00 PM EDT / 4:00 AM BST (June 27th) / 5:00 AM CEST (June 27th) / 1:00 PM NZST (June 27th). Keep your VPN connection alive for the full 90 minutes (plus stoppage time). If the stream starts stuttering or you get slapped with a geo-block error mid-match, switch to a different server in the same country, nuke your browser cookies, or restart the app to get things flowing again.
How to watch New Zealand vs Belgium on different devices
Below is a breakdown of device compatibility for the main broadcasters carrying this match, plus VPN support for each platform.
| Device | BBC iPlayer | ITVX | SBS On Demand | TVNZ | RTBF Auvio | VRT MAX | NordVPN | How to use VPN |
| Web browser | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Install VPN app, connect to server, open broadcaster site |
| iPhone / iPad | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Install VPN iOS app, connect to server, open broadcaster app or Safari |
| Android phone / tablet | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Install VPN Android app, connect to server, open broadcaster app or Chrome |
| Smart TV (Samsung, LG) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Smart DNS / Router | Samsung Tizen and LG webOS have no native VPN app; use NordVPN Smart DNS or install VPN on router |
| Google TV / Android TV | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Install NordVPN app from Google Play Store, connect to server, open broadcaster app |
| Amazon Fire TV / Fire Stick | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Install NordVPN app from Amazon Appstore, connect to server, open broadcaster app |
| Apple TV | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Install NordVPN tvOS app, connect to server, open broadcaster app |
| PlayStation / Xbox | Limited | Limited | Limited | Limited | Limited | Limited | Router | Consoles have no native VPN app; install VPN on router or cast from phone/laptop |
New Zealand vs Belgium match preview
Historical review
New Zealand and Belgium have crossed paths just twice in international football, and both encounters ended in Belgian victories. The most recent meeting was a 2-0 Belgium win in a June 2013 friendly, with Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne finding the net. Their only other clash came at the 1982 World Cup in Spain, where Belgium edged past the All Whites 1-0 in the group stage. Belgium have never tasted defeat against New Zealand, which paints the Kiwis as heavy underdogs heading into this Group G opener.
Current form
Belgium limp into the tournament on patchy form, having scraped a 2-2 draw with France and beaten Serbia 3-1 in their final warm-up fixtures. The Red Devils finished second in their European qualifying group but leaked goals at worrying moments, conceding late equalizers in several qualifiers that should have been comfortable wins. Manager Rudi Garcia has been hammering home the importance of defensive discipline, with Thibaut Courtois returning from injury to marshal the backline. New Zealand, by contrast, bulldozed through the OFC pathway with a perfect record, capping their qualification campaign with a 3-0 playoff demolition of New Caledonia in August 2025. The All Whites have won four of their last five internationals, including a morale-boosting 1-0 friendly victory over Chile in May 2026, but they're about to face a quantum leap in quality against European opposition.
Team news
Belgium arrive in California with a clean bill of health, and coach Rudi Garcia has confirmed that Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois, and Axel Witsel will all start. Youri Tielemans is expected to partner De Bruyne in the engine room, while Leandro Trossard and Dodi Lukebakio are scrapping for the wide attacking berths. New Zealand will be without suspended midfielder Marko Stamenic, who picked up two yellow cards during qualifying. Chris Wood, the All Whites' all-time leading scorer, spearheads the attack, flanked by Marco Rojas and Liberato Cacace. Manager Danny Hay has signaled his intention to set up defensively, aiming to frustrate Belgium in the opening stages and keep the scoreline respectable.
Tournament context
This is a Group G matchday 1 showdown, with Egypt and Iran rounding out the quartet. Belgium are overwhelming favorites to top the group, but a stumble here would crank up the pressure on their remaining fixtures against Egypt and Iran. New Zealand are desperate to avoid the heavy beatings that have scarred previous Oceanic campaigns at World Cups (though their 2010 tournament saw them draw all three group games without advancing). A competitive performance here would set the tone for the All Whites' tournament and remind the world they belong on this stage, while Belgium need three points to justify their status as dark horses for a deep knockout run.
FAQ
Where can I watch New Zealand vs Belgium?
New Zealand fans can stream the match free on TVNZ in English, while Belgium supporters have their pick of RTBF Auvio (French) or VRT MAX (Dutch), both completely free. In the United States, the match lands on Fox Sports (English, via cable or Fubo) and Telemundo (Spanish, free over-the-air). UK viewers get free access via BBC iPlayer, and Australia has free coverage on SBS On Demand. Consult the where-to-watch table above for the full country-by-country breakdown.
What time does New Zealand vs Belgium start?
The teams take the field at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California on June 26th, 2026 at 8:00 PM PDT / 11:00 PM EDT. For UK insomniacs and early risers, that's 4:00 AM BST on June 27th. In Belgium, kickoff is 5:00 AM CEST on June 27th (a brutal wake-up call for Red Devils fans). New Zealand viewers get a civilized 1:00 PM NZST on June 27th lunchtime slot. Australia can tune in at 1:00 PM AEST on June 27th.
How can I watch New Zealand vs Belgium from abroad with my home subscription?
Paid services like Fox Sports, TSN, and Sky Sports throw up geo-blocks when you attempt to log in from outside your home country, even if you're paying full price for a subscription. A VPN lets you reset your virtual location back to your home country, tricking the broadcaster into recognizing your account as in-region and restoring full access to the live stream. This is a completely legitimate workaround for travelers and expats who want to keep watching their home broadcaster while they're on the road. For a detailed head-to-head comparison of VPNs built for sports streaming, see our guide to the best VPNs for streaming.
Can I watch New Zealand vs Belgium for free?
Absolutely. TVNZ streams all New Zealand matches free in English, requiring only a free TVNZ account. Belgium fans can watch free on RTBF Auvio (French commentary) or VRT MAX (Dutch commentary), both asking for a free account and nothing more. For viewers in other countries, BBC iPlayer and ITVX in the UK, plus SBS On Demand in Australia, deliver free English-language coverage of all 104 World Cup matches. All five broadcasters are geo-restricted to their home territories, so you'll need a VPN to watch from outside those borders.
Where can I watch highlights and replays?
FIFA+ publishes free highlights and goal compilations worldwide at plus.fifa.com, with no account required for short-form content. The FIFA YouTube channel also drops official match highlights and goal reels for every World Cup game within hours of the final whistle. In the United States, Tubi offers free on-demand replays of all 104 matches starting 30 minutes after the live broadcast wraps. Broadcaster YouTube channels like BBC Sport, SBS Sport, and TVNZ also publish match highlights. If you're abroad, fire up a VPN to access your home broadcaster's on-demand service and catch up on what you missed.
How can I watch the World Cup 2026 in Spanish in the United States?
Telemundo carries 92 of the 104 World Cup matches free over-the-air in Spanish, including all USA matches, both semifinals, and the final. The remaining 12 matches air on Universo (cable/paid). All 104 matches stream in Spanish on Peacock (from $10.99/month for Peacock Premium). Telemundo is available free with a digital antenna in major US markets, and Peacock works seamlessly across all major streaming devices.
What channel is New Zealand vs Belgium on in New Zealand?
The match airs on TVNZ, New Zealand's free public broadcaster. You can watch live on TVNZ 1 (over-the-air TV) or stream it free on TVNZ+ (web and app) with a free TVNZ account. TVNZ carries all New Zealand matches free, plus the World Cup final. For blanket coverage of all 104 matches, TVNZ offers a paid TVNZ+ Event Pass that unlocks the entire tournament.
What channel is New Zealand vs Belgium on in Belgium?
The match is on RTBF Auvio (French commentary) and VRT MAX (Dutch commentary), both free Belgian broadcasters. RTBF and VRT split rights by language but both carry all 104 World Cup matches free. You'll need a free RTBF or VRT account to stream. Both services are geo-fenced to Belgium, so viewers abroad will need a VPN to punch through.
What's at stake in New Zealand vs Belgium?
This is a Group G matchday 1 clash with drastically different stakes for each side. Belgium are expected to coast through the group and advance to the knockout stages, but a loss here would ignite a firestorm of criticism and pile immediate pressure on their remaining fixtures against Egypt and Iran. New Zealand are heavy underdogs but will be desperate to avoid the defensive meltdowns that have plagued other Oceanic teams at previous World Cups. A competitive performance, or even a shock draw, would be a seismic result for the All Whites and throw Belgium's path to the Round of 16 into chaos.
