Apple has made Apple Sports available in more than 170 countries and regions, adding World Cup-focused tools like tournament brackets, enhanced lineup formations, widgets, and Live Activities on iPhone and Apple Watch. The rollout arrives ahead of FIFA World C
By the time FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off in June, Apple Sports is no longer meant for just a few time zones.
On May 19, Apple announced that Apple Sports is now available in more than 170 countries and regions worldwide. The company is using the expansion to bring World Cup-specific features to fans—tournament brackets that map team progression from the group stage through elimination rounds. lineup formations and visual starting formations on game cards. widgets for real-time standings and score tracking. and Live Activities support for ongoing matches on iPhone and Apple Watch.
The change marks a clear shift for an app that launched in 2024 as a fast score-tracking tool built largely around North American leagues and live game updates. Apple says the new version is designed so people can follow the full tournament or individual national teams through customizable scoreboards and live match updates.
What makes the rollout feel more like a product push than a simple availability update is where Apple is placing Apple Sports in its wider ecosystem. The app now links directly into the Apple TV app, helping users find live matches across connected streaming services. A new Apple News integration also routes people to tournament coverage and headlines with a single tap.
Apple’s pitch is that users shouldn’t need to hunt across apps while matches are going. Instead, iPhone, Apple Watch, widgets, and notifications become the layer fans interact with during games—while Apple avoids needing to own every broadcast right itself.
Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Music, Sports, Apple TV, and Beats, said in a statement: “The World Cup unites fans across the globe, making it the ideal moment to bring Apple Sports to even more users.”
Apple is also leaning into the reality that soccer’s global audience dwarfs most North American sports leagues. The company points to its sports efforts—such as MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and the Apple News sports section—as evidence it has a significantly larger international audience already. With Apple Sports now available across 170+ countries and regions. the company is effectively widening the door for that audience to follow the tournament in the same app.
Apple Sports FIFA World Cup 2026 Live Activities iPhone Apple Watch Apple TV Apple News sports app expansion tournament brackets lineup formations widgets
So basically Apple’s trying to be the new FIFA now? Weird.
I don’t get why they need “lineup formations” in an app like… just watch the game? Also Live Activities sounds like it’ll drain my battery. 🙄
Apple News integration routing you to headlines is fine but I’m confused—World Cup 2026 is June right? Then why does it say May 19 announcement like it’s already happening? Maybe I missed something.
Idk, I feel like this is just another Apple TV push. If it links to streaming services then it’s not really “live” is it? Also 170 countries sounds great but what about people in rural areas with bad signal… guess they’re SOL.