Apple Sports expands into 90 new markets ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026

Apple has expanded Apple Sports to more than 90 new countries and regions, taking the free iPhone app to over 170 markets worldwide as it ramps up its football audience strategy ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.The timing is deliberate, with Apple positioning the product as a lightweight, real-time companion that can keep users inside its ecosystem across scores, team tracking, news and pathways to live matches.Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Music, Sports, Apple TV, and Beats, said: “The World Cup unites fans across the globe, making it the ideal moment to bring Apple Sports to even more users. "Apple Sports was designed to be fast and simple, giving fans an easy way to stay on top of scores, stats, and the action that matters most in real time.”The rollout strengthens Apple’s ability to serve football fans in markets that are core to global viewing growth, while also giving rights holders and streaming partners a larger addressable base for discovery via Apple’s viewing surfaces.Apple said Apple Sports will support World Cup viewing behaviour by allowing users to explore tournament groupings and customise their scoreboard by following the full competition or selected national teams.Following a team also enables Live Activities on iPhone and Apple Watch, letting users track matches at a glance from the Lock Screen and wearable notifications.Apple is also leaning on widgets as a distribution layer, allowing fans to pin tournament tracking to iPhone, iPad and Mac home screens to maintain habitual engagement through the group stage and knockout rounds.A key commercial link is the app’s connection to the Apple TV app, with Apple saying users can jump with a single tap to find live matches on connected streaming services during the tournament.Apple has added three World Cup-specific features aimed at boosting stickiness and reducing friction during matchdays.A tournament bracket view provides a scrollable path from group stage to a team’s final match, while enhanced game cards include visual formations for each team’s starting line-up.Apple also introduced a one-tap link to Apple News to pull users into editorial coverage and headlines around the competition, reinforcing a broader ecosystem loop that combines live sport, companion data and news consumption.The expansion signals how platform owners are treating sports utility products as strategic infrastructure rather than standalone media plays.Apple does not need to own rights to become part of the matchday workflow, particularly when it can provide fast, personalised tracking and then route users to whichever broadcaster or streaming service holds access in each market.Apple Sports is positioned as a simple interface that keeps favourite teams and leagues front and centre, a product stance that fits World Cup usage patterns where casual fans often need quick context and immediate score updates across multiple matches.