Apple Sports App Goes Global for 2026 World Cup Coverage

Apple recently made significant updates to Apple Sports, including new CarPlay Widgets and support for the 2026 World Cup. The latest expansion marks the largest since the app’s launch two years ago.

The tech giant announced that Apple Sports is now available in over 90 new countries and regions, bringing the total to more than 170 locations. This allows sports enthusiasts worldwide to stay updated on the World Cup, as well as various teams and leagues spanning a wide range of sports like Major League Baseball, American football, PGA, and Formula 1 racing.

Introduced in February 2024, Apple Sports aimed to provide users with fast access to scores and stats. The app has since undergone numerous updates, with version 4.0 being the latest release this week.

With the 2026 World Cup support added in the previous update, version 4.0 of Apple Sports is now fine-tuned to ensure seamless functionality for tracking tournament groupings and custom scoreboards, enhancing the overall user experience.

Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Music, Sports, Apple TV, and Beats, expressed excitement about expanding Apple Sports to a broader audience in anticipation of the World Cup. The app is designed to provide users with real-time access to scores, stats, and important game highlights effortlessly.

Key features highlighted in the Apple Sports 4.0 update include a tournament bracket view, visual formations on game cards displaying team lineups, and one-tap access to Apple News for editorial coverage and latest headlines in select regions.

1. A tournament bracket view: Offers a user-friendly display of matchups and results for each round, allowing fans to track their favorite team’s progress throughout the tournament.
2. Visual formations: Enhanced game cards show starting lineups, offering tactical insights before each match.
3. One tap to Apple News: Direct link to editorial content and news updates in specific countries.

The 2026 World Cup features in Apple Sports leverage existing functionalities like Live Activities and Widgets for easy access on iPhone, Apple Watch, and CarPlay dashboards. Users can also jump into the Apple TV app for live match streaming via connected services.

While Apple Sports remains exclusive to iPhones, widgets can be added to iPad and MacBook Home Screens. The possibility of an iPad version in the future is hinted at, encouraging users to stay tuned for potential updates.

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