Just in time for the tournament start on June 11, Apple has expanded its sports app to include complete group overviews and team favorites for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
World Cup content available in Apple Sports
Apple has updated the Sports app on the iPhone, integrating extensive content for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Football fans can now view the complete tournament groups and mark their favorite teams. Those who follow a team will receive real-time scores, statistics, and live activities directly on their Lock Screen and Apple Watch throughout the tournament.
The update arrives roughly ten weeks before kickoff on June 11. The 2026 World Cup will be held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada and is the first World Cup in the new 48-team format – a significant expansion compared to the previous 32 participants. For Germany, which, as host of the 2006 World Cup and World Champion of 2014, traditionally expects great interest in the tournament, the World Cup integration into Apple Sports should be particularly relevant.
What Apple Sports offers
The app was designed from the outset as a streamlined, fast alternative to traditional sports apps and has been available in Germany since autumn 2025. It offers personalized scoreboards that prioritize favorite teams and leagues. Users can switch between current scores and upcoming matches, access lineups and play-by-play details, and switch directly to the Apple TV app to watch live broadcasts.
For the 2026 World Cup, this means specifically: all 48 national teams, all group matches, and the entire tournament can be followed in real time. Apple promises that it will be easier than ever for fans to keep track of the tournament action.
Apple's growing Sports Strategy
The World Cup integration is part of a much broader offensive by Apple in the sports sector. Just in February, Apple Sports added new soccer categories and South American leagues in a major update. In total, the app now supports more than 30 of the most important soccer leagues and tournaments in North America, Latin America, and Europe.
In parallel, Apple is also consistently expanding its live sports offerings on Apple TV. Since 2026, all MLS games have been included in the Apple TV subscription at no extra cost, and the exclusive Formula 1 broadcasting rights in the US underscore Apple's ambitions in live sports. The 2026 World Cup is likely to play a special role in this context: As the world's largest single sporting event, it offers Apple the opportunity to present the Sports app and the entire sports ecosystem to a mass audience.
Apple Sports is available for free in the App Store and requires iOS 17.2 or later. Live Activities require iOS 18 and watchOS 11. (Image: Apfelpatient)
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