Follow your World Cup teams directly on your iPhone with this Apple Sports update.
Apple Sports is preparing for the World Cup with an update that addresses a significant concern for fans. As reported by MacRumors, the app now includes support for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, allowing you to easily follow your favorite national teams without switching between different applications.
The tournament is now integrated alongside your regular leagues, providing quick access to scores, statistics, and match updates all in one location. Apple is enhancing speed by using Live Activities to highlight important moments on your lock screen and Dynamic Island as games progress.
You can search for the World Cup within the app and add it to your leagues, or focus on specific teams that interest you. When matches start, updates will automatically appear, so you won’t have to refresh or navigate between services.
With 48 teams and a packed schedule across North America, keeping track of everything is about to become more challenging. This update is designed to alleviate some of that burden.
An improved way to follow matches
The World Cup now appears as a trackable event in Apple Sports, alongside the competitions you already monitor. Once you’ve added it, you’ll see group standings, team performance, and match schedules in one convenient view.
You can choose to follow the entire tournament or focus on just a few teams. The app will manage the information flow, providing live scores and essential statistics as the games unfold.
Live Activities handle most of the updates. As matches begin, notifications appear directly on your lock screen, allowing you to quickly check scores without needing to open the app. This becomes particularly useful when multiple matches occur at the same time across different time zones.
The significance of this update now
With the World Cup expanding to 48 teams, this means more matches, more groups, and a significantly busier schedule than in the past. This scale increases the chances of missing crucial moments if you’re following multiple teams.
Apple’s approach shifts this responsibility. Instead of checking fixtures manually, you receive the most pertinent updates as the tournament advances.
It also minimizes the need to switch apps. You can seamlessly navigate between scores, upcoming matches, and detailed information such as lineups or play-by-play commentary without disrupting your experience.
What to do before the matches start
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, featuring matches throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico.
As the games unfold, Apple Sports will provide live match data via Live Activities, including updates on score changes and in-game statistics. It will also track standings and playoff progression, enabling you to follow the tournament's development without having to sift through brackets.
If you intend to follow closely, it’s advisable to set up your teams early. By the time the kickoff occurs, everything will be in order.
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Follow your World Cup teams directly on your iPhone with this Apple Sports update.
Apple Sports introduces World Cup support, enabling you to monitor teams, scores, and matches in real time with updates on your lock screen. Here's how this new feature alters your experience of following the 2026 tournament.