Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland: Watch World Cup 2026 Playoff Semifinal for Free

Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland: Watch World Cup 2026 Playoff Semifinal for Free

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The Boys in Green travel to Prague for a do-or-die clash.

Headshot of Kevin Lynch
Headshot of Kevin Lynch

Kevin Lynch is a London-born, Dublin-based writer and journalist. The author of Steve Jobs: A Biographic Portrait, Kevin is a regular feature writer for a number of tech sites and the former Technology Editor for the Daily Mirror. He has also served as editor of GuinnessWorldRecords.com and has been a member of the judging panel for the BAFTA British Academy Video Game Awards.

When to watch Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland

  • Thursday, March 26 at 2:45 p.m. ET (11:45 a.m. PT).

Where to watch

  • Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland will air in the US on Fubo and ViX.

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Ireland is hoping to move a step closer to ending a 24-year absence from soccer's biggest stage as it faces the Czech Republic today in this FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal playoff match.

Heimir Hallgrímsson's Irishmen come into this crucial game on a high, having turned around their fortune with three straight wins in Group F, including a standout victory in Dublin over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal. 

The Czechs were disappointing in Group L, missing out on a top spot in large part due to a humbling 2-1 defeat to the Faroe Islands (pop. 55,000) -- a dreadful result that led to Ivan Hašek being sacked as head coach. Another former Slavia Prague boss, Miroslav Koubek, takes charge for the hosts today as they look to maintain their strong home record against Ireland. 

The reward for today's winner is a home playoff final next Tuesday against the victor of the other semifinal between Denmark and North Macedonia.

The Czech Republic takes on the Republic of Ireland at the Fortuna Arena in Prague on Thursday, March. 26. Kickoff is set for 8:45 p.m. CET local time in Czechia. That makes it a 7:45 p.m. GMT start in the UK and Ireland and a 3:45 p.m. ET or 12:45 p.m. PT start in the US and Canada. For viewers in Australia, the game gets underway at 6:45 a.m. AEDT on Friday morning.

Troy Parrott of Republic of Ireland celebrating, shouting.

Troy Parrott's stunning hat-trick against Hungary in their final Group F match ensured the Republic of Ireland reached the World Cup qualifier play-offs.

Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile/Getty Images

Livestream the Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland match in the US

Today's game is available to watch in the US on Fubo. This match is also available to watch in the US on the Spanish-language streaming service, ViX.    

Sports-first live TV streaming platform Fubo is showing a select number of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers this week via pay-per-view, including this fixture.

The match can be purchased for $20 and doesn't require a regular subscription to Fubo in order to watch.

Vix

While TelevisaUnivision's Spanish-language streaming service has a free tier, in order to watch this match you'll need to be a subscriber to Vix Plus.

The service currently starts at $5 per month for its Premium with Ads tier, and rises to $7 per month for its Premium ad-free option.

How to watch the Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland match from anywhere with a VPN

If you're traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the World Cup qualifier action while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming. 

It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds. Additionally, it can be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, providing an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security. 

However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN use to access region-specific content. If you're considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform's terms of service to ensure compliance. 

If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider's installation instructions, ensuring you're connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN use is crucial.

James Martin/CNET

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ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. Prices start at $3.49 a month on a two-year plan for the service's Basic tier.

Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Livestream the Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland match for free in Ireland  

The great news for the Boys in Green supporters is that live coverage for this crucial World Cup qualifier playoff is on free-to-air terrestrial broadcaster RTÉ, with the match set to be shown on RTÉ 2. That also means you'll be able to livestream the game for free via the network's online platform RTÉ player. Coverage begins at 7 p.m.

RTE

Irish public broadcaster RTE 's online and on-demand service is free to use for anyone living on the Emerald Isle. RTÉ Player is available across a wide range of mobile and smart devices.

Livestream the Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland match in the UK

Prime Video is showing this World Cup qualifier clash live in the UK via pay-per-view. 

James Martin/CNET

You won't need to be a Prime subscriber to access Amazon's coverage, but there is a £2.49 fee to watch this game.

If you like the look of what Amazon is offering, Prime Video standalone subscriptions start at £6 a month. A Prime membership is £9 a month or £95 per year in the UK and includes access to Prime Video's content library of shows such as Fallout, Reacher and more. The service is also included with a Prime membership.

Livestream the Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland match in Australia  

Football fans Down Under can watch this match on streaming service Stan Sport. 

Stan

Stan Sport will set you back AU$20 a month (on top of a Stan subscription, which starts at AU$12). It's also worth noting that the streaming service is currently offering a seven-day free trial.

A subscription will also give you access to Premier League, Champions League and Europa League action, as well as international rugby and Formula E.

Livestream the Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland match in Canada

If you want to stream this game live in Canada, you'll need to subscribe to DAZN Canada.

DAZN

A DAZN subscription currently costs CA$30 a month or CA$200 a year and will also give you access to the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League, plus EFL Championship soccer, Six Nations rugby and WTA tennis.

As well as dedicated apps for iOS and Android, there's a wide range of support for set-top boxes and smart TVs.

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