Italy vs Northern Ireland: Watch the 2026 World Cup qualifiers semi-final for free


When do you watch the Italy-Northern Ireland match?

  • Thursday, March 26 at 2:45 PM ET (11:45 AM PT).

Where to watch

  • The Italy vs Northern Ireland match will be broadcast in the US on Fubo and Vix.

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Watch international soccer matches in Canada starting at $30 CAD per month

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The Italian football giants are aiming to end their 12-year absence from football’s biggest competition, as they face a young side from Northern Ireland today in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

After a poor start to their qualifying campaign, the Azzurri reeled off six straight wins under new coach Gennaro Gattuso. But San Siro’s frustrating 4-1 defeat to Norway in November ensured they had to go through the qualifiers to reach this summer’s tournament. In an apparent attempt to create a more intimidating atmosphere, Gattuso has requested that this match be played at Atleti’s smaller Azzurri d’Italia stadium in Bergamo, as he seeks to prevent Italy from suffering a third successive failure to reach the World Cup.

They face a Northern Ireland team that has waited the longest since their last World Cup appearance, having not qualified since Mexico 86. The inexperience of coach Michael O’Neill could be a factor in this match as the team attempt to inflict their first defeat on Italy since the 1958 World Cup. This challenge is made all the more difficult by the injury-related absence of key defender Daniel Ballard, who is having an impressive season at Sunderland.

The reward for today’s winner will be a decisive away play-off match against Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina next Tuesday.

Italy faces Northern Ireland in Bergamo Thursday March. 26. Kick off is set for 8:45 PM CET local time. This makes it 7:45 PM GMT Starting in the United Kingdom and Ireland, a 3:45 PM ET or 12:45 PM PT Starting in the United States and Canada. For viewers in Australia, the match starts on 6:45am AEST On Friday morning.

Italian striker Pio Esposito shouts, celebrates and waves his right fist.

20-year-old Inter Milan striker Pio Esposito has scored three goals in his last four World Cup qualifiers for Italy.

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Live broadcast of the Italy vs. Northern Ireland match in the United States

Today’s match is available to watch in the US on Fubo. This match is also available to watch in the US via the Spanish-language streaming service Fix.

Sports’ premier live TV platform Fubo is showing a select number of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers this week on pay-per-view, including this match.

The match can be purchased for $20 and does not require a regular Fubo subscription to watch.

Fix

While TelevisaUnivision’s Spanish-language streaming service has a free tier, to be able to watch this match you must be a Vix Plus subscriber.

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

How to watch Italy vs Northern Ireland from anywhere using a VPN

If you’re traveling abroad and want to catch all the World Cup qualifying action while away from home, a VPN can help Enhance your privacy and security when streaming.

It encrypts your traffic and prevents your ISP from throttling your speeds. Additionally, it can come in handy 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 United States and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security.

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

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

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Live stream Italy vs Northern Ireland in the UK for free

The good news for football fans in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK is that this crucial match is being broadcast live on the free-to-air channel BBC3. This means the game can also be watched online for free via the BBC’s iPlayer streaming service.

BBC

This game can be watched online for free via the BBC’s on-demand streaming service BBC iPlayer.

With the app available for Android and Apple mobile devices, as well as a wide range of smart TVs and streaming boxes, all you need is a valid UK TV license to stream the game.

Live broadcast of the Italy-Northern Ireland match in Australia

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

Stan

Stan Sport will cost you AU$20 per month (on top of the Stan subscription which starts at AU$12). It’s also worth noting that the streaming service currently offers a seven-day free trial.

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

Live broadcast of the Italy vs. Northern Ireland match in Canada

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

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A DAZN subscription currently costs $30 CAD per month or $200 CAD per year, and will also give you access to the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League, as well as the EFL Football Championship, Six Nations Rugby, and WTA Tennis.

In addition to dedicated apps for iOS and Android, there’s a wide range of support for set-top boxes and smart TVs.



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