TV Answer Man, you did an article on what DIRECTV plans for the World Cup. What about us Comcast customers? What does the big old cable company have planned that’s special for the World Cup games? — Marina, Miami.
Marina, Comcast just announced it will provide the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 soccer tournament in Dolby Vision 4K HDR (High Dynamic Range). The cable operator says its Xfinity TV service will be the only place in the United States that will offer the event in Dolby Vision HDR.
The FIFA World Cup begins this Sunday, November 20, and runs until December 18 with the final at 10 a.m. ET. There will be 32 teams competing in eight categories with the majority of the group matches featuring start times of 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. ET. (The United States is in group B with England, Wales and Iran.)
Fox, which has the World Cup’s English-language TV rights in the U.S. has previously said it will offer every match live in native 4K on the Fox Sports and Fox Now apps. The pay TV services that are expected to also carry them on special 4K channels are Comcast, DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon, Optimum, YouTube TV, and FuboTV. (In FuboTV markets where the Fox affiliate is provided with your programming package.) Check your on-screen guide for more details.
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However, Comcast says its 4K feed will be the only one with the Dolby Vision HDR feed, which can enhance the vividness and colors of the broadcast when viewed through a Dolby Vision-capable TV. (The 4K feeds on the Fox apps, and the other pay TV services, will feature the HDR10 format which some videophiles argue is as good as Dolby Vision.)
To watch the tournament in 4K on Comcast, you will also need a 4K-enabled Xfinity X1 set-top.
In addition to the Dolby Vision 4K feed, Comcast will carry the channels that will broadcast the games in the United States — Fox, FS1, Telemundo and Universo. (The English-speaking broadcasts will be on Fox and FS1 while Telemundo and Universo will offer Spanish-language feeds. You can see a schedule here.
The cable operator will also provide a World Cup channel destination which can be accessed by saying ‘World Cup’ or ‘Copa Mundial’ into the Xfinity X1 voice remote. At the World Cup channel, you will find an interactive tournament bracket that will enable you to track the latest schedule, scores and standings, and prepare for upcoming matches with the ability to set recordings or reminders.
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The destination will also include a DVR banner where fans can click to find high-impact plays, goals, penalty kicks and outstanding saves. Comcast subscribers will also be able to personalize the destination to highlight certain teams and matches.
Marina, hope that helps. You can see what DIRECTV has planned for the World Cup here.
Happy viewing and stay safe!
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— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman