Football fans travelling during the Fifa World Cup 2026 need not miss a moment of the action, with regional airlines Etihad Airways, Emirates airline, Saudia, Gulf Air and Qatar Airways among those offering live coverage of matches through Sport 24, a live channel available on select aircraft around the world.
The carriers have confirmed passengers will be able to watch fixtures on Sport 24 and Sport 24 Extra throughout the tournament until July 19.
Emirates is adding a number of extras around the tournament. The airline said passengers will be able to access a full broadcast schedule through its in-flight entertainment magazine ice, while select Emirates lounges in Dubai will also screen matches.
“Ensuring that customers don't miss a moment and enjoy one of the most watched sporting events in the world, Sport 24 on ice is offering the full schedule of matches onboard,” the airline said.
How to watch matches onboard
How passengers watch the matches will depend on the airline. Emirates and Etihad will broadcast fixtures through their in-flight entertainment systems, while Qatar Airways will offer coverage only on Starlink-enabled aircraft, where passengers can stream matches on personal devices after scanning a QR code.
Saudia has adopted a similar model, with live coverage available on aircraft equipped with high-speed connectivity and streamed directly to passengers' phones, tablets and laptops.
Operated by sports marketing company IMG, Sport 24 describes itself as the world's first live global sports channel for airlines and cruise ships. The platform broadcasts thousands of hours of live sports every year, including football, Formula One, tennis, golf, rugby and basketball.
Other airlines offering Sport 24 on board include Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Air New Zealand.
Record-breaking viewership
The World Cup is among the most-watched sporting events on the planet. Fifa said this week that more than 54 million viewers tuned in to watch opening matches featuring Canada, Mexico and the US.
With a combined 27.5 million viewers, the US opening match against Paraguay became the most-watched football match ever broadcast in the US.
“These figures tell you everything about what this tournament means to these countries, this continent and the entire world,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino. “However, this is not just about numbers – this is about millions of people from every corner of the world, coming together through football.”
Infantino said all the fans are part of something unique, be they “inside full stadiums, watching at home or celebrating in the streets” – or, indeed, in the sky.
