Will Fox’s 4K World Cup Broadcasts Be Native 4K Or Upscaled?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Buy Me a Coffee!

TV Answer Man, do you know if Fox’s 4K broadcasts of the 2026 World Cup will be native 4K like it was in 2022 or upscaled 4K? – Jay, town withheld.

Jay, Fox this summer will broadcast all 104 World Cup games on Fox affiliates and FS1 (and the Fox One app) starting on June 11, 2026 at 3 p.m. ET with the Mexico-South Africa match. The network will also air every game in 4K on select pay TV providers and the Fox One app.

In 2022, Fox also aired the World Cup in 4K and it was native 4K, meaning the on-field production (including cameras) was in 4K as well as the home transmission. But will the 2026 World Cup air in native 4K or upscaled 4K?

Answer: Upscaled, Fox spokesman Erik Arneson tells The TV Answer Man today.

What Are Fox’s Upscaled 4K Broadcasts?
Fox’s 4K live sports broadcasts are upscaled from 1080p HDR (High Dynamic Range). Upscaling is the process when one video format is converted to another. Fox takes the 1080p HDR signal and converts it to a 4K format. Upscaling 4K is not considered as good as native 4K, but the inclusion of HDR can offer heightened colors and vividness. ESPN also upscaled its 4K broadcasts from a 1080p HD signal.

How Can You Watch Fox’s 4K Broadcasts?
Fox 4K events can be seen in the format on the Fox One app by logging in with your TV Everywhere user name and password from your pay TV provider. (You can also watch the game in 4K with a separate subscription to Fox One which costs $19.99 a month.)

The pay TV services that normally offer Fox games in 4K on special 4K channels are DIRECTV, Dish, Sling TV, Comcast, Verizon, Optimum, YouTube TV, Spectrum TV (Xumo, Apple TV 4K, Roku 4K devices only) and FuboTV. (In FuboTV markets where the Fox affiliate is provided with your programming package.) Check your on-screen guide for more details.

Jay, I hope that answers your question. Happy viewing and stay safe!

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