2010 FIFA World Cup: Where to watch (and read about) the action
June 11, 2010 - By Justin E. Gehrke
Every four years, rabid soccer fans from around the world unite to cheer on their respective favorites in their quest to be crowned champion of the world. Even average Americans, who generally have no interest in soccer, cannot help but be swept up in the fever of what can only be described as an emotion-filled, action-packed event. We speak, of course, of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
In past years, fans were relegated to watching tape delayed games and seeing only a fraction of the games played. With the rapid expansion of mobile and streaming technology, as well as the wonder of the smartphone app, fans now have more options than ever before to catch the action. From live streaming action to Twitter updates, the opportunities abound. For both the diehard and recreational fans, we’ve put together a list of where to watch, review the stats, and simply stay in tune to the world’s most popular sport.
Live Video Streams
Numerous websites are providing live video streams of the World Cup action. Since web server bandwidth can often become a scarce commodity, you’ll probably want to bookmark a few, just in case.
ESPN 3 – From ESPN.com – Limited to certain U.S. ISPs; Requires Adobe Flash 10
Univision Futbol – From Univision – Open to ISPs around the world; Broadcast in Spanish
World Cup Canada – From CBC.ca – Official World Cup 2010 Canadian broadcaster
Stats, Highlight Videos and Recaps
2010 FIFA World Cup – From FIFA.com
Live Soccer TV – From Livesoccertv.com
Smartphone Apps
Live Mobile TV – From FLOTV.com – Requires compatible device, support from mobile carrier and subscription
ESPN 2010 FIFA World Cup App – For Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad; Stats, schedules, and live scoring are free; Live audio streams require subscription
Univision Fútbol – Copa Mundial 2010 – Versions available for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry
World Droid Cup – Android App
Goal Mobile – BlackBerry App
Twitter Updates
This year, Twitter has taken a leap forward by providing a “What’s Happening” page that lists all of the matches and contains links to view real-time tweets from viewers around the world. Anyone who watched the Olympics and tweeted will tell you that it’s a lot more fun, when you share the joy…and the pain….with others.
Hopefully, there are enough links to satisfy everyone’s World Cup needs. If you come across another live video link, smartphone app, or other good source of electronic information, let us know, so we can post it for others to enjoy, as well. As far as this post goes, we’ll consider it a Goooaaaalllllll!
