How to Choose the Best TV for Watching the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is now underway, running from 11 June to 19 July across Canada, Mexico and the United States. With 48 teams and 104 matches, it is the biggest edition of the tournament so far, and for many Irish households it is the perfect excuse to upgrade the home viewing setup.

RTÉ has confirmed free-to-air coverage for Irish audiences, with matches available across TV and digital platforms. That means plenty of homes will be gathering around the television over the coming weeks for group-stage drama, knockout nights and the final on Sunday 19 July.

If your current TV feels too small, too dim, slow with streaming apps, or underwhelming for sport, now is a good time to compare your options. At Euronics Ireland, you can browse TVs across screen sizes, display technologies and budgets, from compact smart TVs to large-screen 4K models for a proper match-day setup.

Start with screen size

For football, screen size makes a real difference. A larger TV helps you follow movement across the pitch, see tactical shape more clearly and enjoy the atmosphere of big matches. But bigger is only better if it suits your room.

As a general guide:

43 to 50 inches: good for bedrooms, apartments and smaller living rooms.
55 to 65 inches: a strong all-round choice for most living rooms.
75 inches and above: ideal for larger rooms, family viewing and a more cinema-like sport experience.

If you are upgrading from an older 32-inch or 40-inch model, even a 55-inch 4K TV can feel like a major improvement. For larger spaces, browse 65-inch TVs, 75-inch TVs or 85-inch TVs to see what fits your room and budget.

Why 4K is the sweet spot for most homes

Most shoppers should start with a 4K Ultra HD TV. A 4K screen has four times the pixel count of Full HD, which helps produce sharper detail, especially on larger screens.

This matters for sport because football is full of wide shots, fast movement and small details. A good 4K TV can make the pitch, players, crowd and graphics look cleaner and more defined, particularly when you are sitting closer to a larger screen.

Explore 4K Ultra HD TVs at Euronics Ireland if you want a modern TV that works well for sport, films, streaming and gaming.

OLED, QLED, Mini-LED and LED: what is the difference?

TV display names can be confusing, but the main differences are easier to understand when you connect them to real viewing habits.

LED TVs: usually the most affordable option, suitable for everyday viewing and smaller rooms.
QLED TVs: use quantum dot technology to improve colour and brightness, making them a strong option for bright living rooms and sport.
Mini-LED TVs: use smaller backlights for better brightness control and contrast, useful for larger premium screens.
OLED TVs: each pixel lights itself, giving excellent contrast and deep blacks, especially strong for films and premium home cinema setups.

For daytime World Cup matches in a bright room, brightness and anti-reflection performance can be especially important. For evening matches or movie nights, contrast and black levels may matter more.

Refresh rate and motion matter for football

Football is fast. Long passes, quick counter-attacks, camera pans and close-up replays can expose weaknesses in motion handling. That is why refresh rate and motion processing are important when choosing a TV for sport.

A 60Hz TV is suitable for everyday viewing, but sports fans and gamers may want to look at TVs with higher refresh rates, such as 120Hz or 144Hz models where available. These can help fast-moving scenes look smoother, especially when combined with strong picture processing.

Some Euronics.ie TVs also list gaming features such as Variable Refresh Rate, Auto Low Latency Mode and HDMI 2.1 support. These are mainly gaming-focused features, but they often appear on higher-performance TVs that also handle fast content well.

Do you need a soundbar?

Modern TVs are slimmer than ever, which is great for design but can limit built-in sound. For football, audio is part of the atmosphere: crowd noise, commentary, stadium ambience and post-match analysis all feel better with clearer, fuller sound.

A soundbar is one of the simplest ways to upgrade your TV audio. It sits neatly under the screen and can make dialogue clearer while adding more depth to match-day sound.

When choosing a soundbar, consider:

Room size: a compact 2.0 soundbar may suit a bedroom or smaller TV.
Bass: choose a model with a subwoofer if you want deeper sound.
Dolby Atmos: useful for a more immersive home cinema feel.
Connectivity: HDMI ARC or eARC is usually the cleanest option for modern TVs.
Brand pairing: some TV and soundbar combinations offer extra features when used together.

Smart TV features are important for streaming

World Cup coverage is not just about live TV anymore. Many viewers use catch-up services, streaming apps, highlights, analysis clips and second-screen content. A good smart TV platform makes that easier.

Before buying, check that the TV supports the apps and services you use most often. Also consider Wi-Fi strength in the room. If your current TV buffers or struggles with apps, the issue may be the TV, the broadband connection or the Wi-Fi signal.

If your living room has weak Wi-Fi, a better router or Wi-Fi range extender may improve streaming performance across your home, not just on the TV.

Think about where the TV will go

Before choosing a large screen, measure the space carefully. Check the width of your TV unit, the distance from the sofa, and whether the TV will be wall-mounted or placed on a stand.

Also think about glare. If your TV faces a window, a brighter QLED or Mini-LED model may be more practical than a screen that performs best in darker rooms. Curtains, blinds and room lighting can also make a big difference to daytime sport viewing.

Match-day setup checklist

Before the next big fixture, use this quick checklist to get your setup ready:

Check that your TV apps and software are up to date.
Test RTÉ Player or your preferred viewing app before kick-off.
Make sure your broadband and Wi-Fi are stable in the TV room.
Choose a sport or standard picture mode rather than an overly vivid setting.
Adjust brightness if watching in daylight.
Connect your soundbar through HDMI ARC or eARC if available.
Check remote batteries before the match starts.
Leave enough ventilation around the TV and soundbar.

Which TV is right for you?

The best TV depends on your room, budget and how you watch.

For everyday sport and streaming: choose a 4K smart TV in the 50 to 55-inch range.
For family living rooms: a 55 to 65-inch 4K QLED or Mini-LED TV is a strong fit.
For bright rooms: prioritise brightness and reflection handling.
For premium picture quality: consider OLED or high-end Mini-LED.
For sport and gaming: look for 120Hz or higher refresh rates, HDMI 2.1, VRR and ALLM.
For a fuller match-day experience: add a soundbar for clearer commentary and stronger atmosphere.

The bottom line

The 2026 World Cup is a great reason to rethink your home entertainment setup, but the right TV will keep delivering long after the final whistle. A good 4K smart TV can improve sport, films, gaming and everyday streaming, while a soundbar can make your living room feel far more immersive.

Browse TVs at Euronics Ireland to compare screen sizes and display technologies, or explore soundbars to complete your match-day setup.