Apple Sports is getting ready for the World Cup with an update that targets a real problem for fans. According to MacRumors, the app now supports the 2026 FIFA World Cup, giving you a cleaner way to keep up with your favorite national teams without bouncing between apps.
The tournament now sits alongside your usual leagues, with quick access to scores, stats, and match updates in one place. Apple is leaning into speed here, using Live Activities to surface key moments on your lock screen and Dynamic Island as games unfold.
You can search for the World Cup inside the app and add it to your leagues, or just pick specific teams you care about. When matches begin, updates appear automatically, so you’re not stuck refreshing or jumping between services.
With 48 teams and a dense schedule across North America, keeping up is about to get harder. This update is built to take some of that load off.
A smarter way to track matches
The World Cup now shows up as a trackable event inside Apple Sports, alongside the competitions you already follow. Once added, you’ll see group standings, team progress, and match schedules in a single view.
You can follow the full tournament or narrow things down to a few teams. From there, the app handles the flow of information, surfacing live scores and key stats as games happen.
Live Activities do most of the work. As matches kick off, updates land directly on your lock screen, letting you check scores quickly without opening the app. That becomes more useful when multiple matches overlap across time zones.
Why this update matters now
This World Cup expands to 48 teams, which means more matches, more groups, and a much busier schedule than before. That scale makes it easier to miss key moments if you’re tracking more than one team.
Apple’s approach shifts that burden. Instead of manually checking fixtures, you get the most relevant updates pushed to you as the tournament progresses.
It also cuts down on app switching. You can move between scores, upcoming matches, and deeper details like lineups or play-by-play without breaking your flow.
What to do before kickoff
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 through July 19, with matches across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
As games roll out, Apple Sports will deliver live match data through Live Activities, including score changes and in-game stats. It will also track standings and playoff progression, so you can follow how the tournament evolves without digging through brackets.
If you plan to follow closely, it’s worth setting up your teams early. Once kickoff hits, everything will already be in place.