World Cup, Copa América, World Cup Qualifiers, FIFA Dates: whenever the national team takes the field, the first question is always the same — can I watch it on my cell phone and, more importantly, which app to use? The answer changes from tournament to tournament because broadcasting rights are sold by competition and by country.
Therefore, this guide doesn't list "the apps for the current competition." It shows how to find out who is broadcasting each tournament in Brazil, which apps actually show the games live, and which ones are useful for tracking standings, lineups, and results in real time, highlighting what's free and what's paid for each.
A recent example helps to understand the logic: the 2024 Copa América was played in the United States and ended on July 14, 2024, with Argentina winning the title. In Brazil, the rights to that edition belonged to Globo, which broadcast the games on TV Globo, SporTV, and Globoplay. No other service transmitted the competition here.
Who broadcasts national team competitions in Brazil?
There is no single app that broadcasts all national team tournaments. Each cycle, organizations like FIFA and CONMEBOL negotiate rights with broadcasters and platforms in each country, and the winner can change completely from one edition to the next.
In Brazil, the main national team competitions have been handled by Globo, which distributes the games across free-to-air TV, pay-TV channels, and Globoplay. The network changes with each edition: sometimes the TV station owns the rights and passes some of the games on to a YouTube channel; in others, the channel buys the digital rights and then sublicenses them to the TV station. Therefore, it's impossible to memorize an answer—the best approach is to check each tournament.
The practical conclusion is simple: before each tournament, confirm who holds the rights to that edition. Only then should you choose where to subscribe or install. Old lists of apps become outdated quickly and often point to services that never had the games in Brazil.
Apps for watching games
These are the apps that usually show live national team football matches for those in Brazil. They are all available for Android and iPhone.
Globoplay
Globoplay is the main platform for watching national teams on mobile phones in Brazil, because it centralizes the broadcasts of TV Globo and the group's sports channels. The 2024 Copa América was streamed here through Globoplay, and most national team tournaments have migrated to it via streaming.
The app is free to download, and its listing on Google Play states "Contains ads" and "In-app purchases." There's an open area with clips and individual content, but the live channels—where the games are broadcast—require a paid plan. Check which plan includes the sports channels before subscribing.
Globoplay
Android and iPhoneYouTube
YouTube is included on the list because it's where channels that stream games for free are located, such as CazéTV — sometimes with their own rights, sometimes sublicensed. When this happens, the broadcast is open and free, with live chat and alternative commentary — this was the case in part of the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 Women's World Cup.
The Google Play listing says "Contains ads" and "In-app purchases": the app is free and supported by advertising, and the Premium subscription only removes the ads. It's worth following the sports channels and enabling notifications to know when a match will be broadcast.
YouTube
Android and iPhonedisney+
Disney+ brings together ESPN channels in Brazil and broadcasts a good portion of international soccer, including friendlies and continental national team competitions in some seasons. It doesn't hold the rights to the major World Cups here, so it serves as a complement: it's worth checking the programming before relying on it for a specific tournament.
The app's page on Google Play does not display the warnings "Contains ads" or "In-app purchases" — the app is free to install, but requires a separate subscription, and only some plans include live sports from ESPN.
disney+
Android and iPhoneApps for tracking tables, results, and news.
It's not always possible to stop everything to watch the entire game. These apps provide play-by-play updates, statistics, and the competition schedule, and even help you find out where each match will be shown.
ge
The ge app is the most complete for the Brazilian audience: it offers news, updated standings, lineups, statistics, and real-time match coverage, as well as videos with the best moments. Since it's from the same company that usually holds the rights, it also indicates where each game will be broadcast.
The Google Play listing shows "Contains ads" and does not list "In-app purchases": the app is free. However, the live streams accessible within it require a subscription to Globo's services.
ge - Football and other sports
Android and iPhoneSofascore
Sofascore is the go-to app for those who love numbers: live scores, ball possession, heatmaps, individual player ratings, and head-to-head history. During national team tournaments, the app creates the complete bracket and updates group standings in real time.
The store states "Contains ads" and "In-app purchases" — use is free, with an optional subscription that removes advertising and unlocks extra statistics.
Sofascore: My results
Android and iPhoneOneFootball
OneFootball organizes the schedule by national team and competition, sends goal notifications, and gathers news from various countries. It's useful for following tournaments outside of Brazil, such as the European Championship and the Africa Cup of Nations, and for checking times converted to the local time zone.
Google Play indicates "Contains ads" and "In-app purchases." The app is free, with optional in-app purchases.
OneFootball Football Results
Android and iPhoneFIFA
The official FIFA app is the primary source for schedules, draws, regulations, results, and standings for competitions organized by the entity, including the men's and women's World Cups and youth tournaments. It also features video content and national team rankings.
The listing on Google Play shows "Contains ads" and does not list "In-app purchases": it's free to use. It doesn't replace the broadcaster that holds the rights in Brazil, but it's the most reliable place to confirm official dates and times.
FIFA - the official app
Android and iPhone
How to confirm where each game will be shown
Start by checking the official website or app for the competition: FIFA, CONMEBOL, and other confederations publish a list of partner broadcasters by country. Then, check the schedule on ge or OneFootball, which usually provide information on the channel or streaming service for each match in Brazil.
Next, confirm within the platform itself. On Globoplay, look for the live channels section and see if your plan includes sports channels; on YouTube, check if the channel has officially announced the broadcast. Doing this check beforehand avoids subscribing to a service that doesn't have the game you want.
And be wary of any app that promises "all games for free." These are generally unauthorized retransmissions, distributed outside of official app stores, with intrusive ads, a risk of malware, and a habit of going offline right in the middle of the second half.
Tips for watching on your phone without buffering
Live streaming consumes a lot of data. Whenever possible, use Wi-Fi; on 4G or 5G, reduce the video quality in the app settings to save data. Closing background apps and disabling automatic downloads also helps prevent buffering.
It's also worth leaving your phone charging or using battery saving mode, activating the floating window feature to follow the game while using another app, and connecting headphones so you don't miss the narration in noisy environments.
Conclusion
Watching national teams on your phone is simple, as long as you start by asking the right question: who bought the rights to that tournament in Brazil? In most recent cases, the answer has been Globo and, therefore, Globoplay — with games occasionally available on YouTube channels.
For the rest, put together your own combination: ge for Brazilian coverage, Sofascore for statistics, OneFootball for the international calendar, and the FIFA app for official dates. This way you can follow everything without relying on outdated lists or unreliable apps.
The platform, rating, and billing information mentioned above was verified on the official Google Play and Brazilian App Store pages. Have you noticed any changes to the streaming rights? Let us know at [link/contact information]. [email protected].
