The FIFA World Cup is an event that you don’t want to miss out on! The best football teams and players from all over the world are going head to head for the biggest prize in the sport. The golden trophy is something that every football player has always dreamed of lifting one day, but very few will succeed in doing so.
The stakes are higher than ever this year as it could be the last time we see two of the greatest football players in history end their World Cup holes forever. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are on the verge of retirement, and there is a scam where they could even meet in the final. The prospect of such an incredible match-up is something that the entire world is looking forward to.
But if you’re trying to live stream the World Cup this year, you might have some difficulties, specifically with geo-blocking restrictions. However, there is a way that you can watch the World Cup from anywhere in the world. All you need is a nifty little cybersecurity tool that will spoof your device’s location. Keep reading to find out how it all works!
How World Cup Live Streams Work
Media companies like Sky Sports and ESPN need to pay millions of dollars to secure the broadcasting rights that allow their customers to live stream every match on their websites. That’s why these streaming platforms have such pricey subscription fees.
Along with the broadcasting rights also come a strict set of rules that these media companies need to adhere to. One of these rules will determine where the media companies can stream and broadcast their content. Media companies are only allowed to stream the content within the borders of their country or designated region.
Websites will use your IP address to determine your device’s location. An IP address is a unique string of numbers that is used to identify your device on the internet and pinpoint its location. If your device is not within the correct region when trying to access a live stream, you will be blocked. This is known as geo-blocking.
For example, if you’re in Germany but you want to tune into the ESPN live stream in America, you’ll be blocked from accessing the live stream because your IP address is telling the website that you’re not inside the United States.
How to Bypass Geo-blocking
However, bypassing geo-blocking is much easier than you might expect. All you need to do is change your IP address and trick the website into thinking you’re accessing it from the correct region. Sounds complicated? Here’s how you can spoof your device’s location within minutes!
All you need is a handy cybersecurity tool known as a virtual private network, or VPN for short. The main purpose of a VPN is to encrypt your internet connection which will prevent anyone else from seeing what you’re doing on your device while browsing the web. Not even the government or your internet service provider can see what you’re doing on your device as long as your VPN is active.
But there’s another VPN feature that will help you to change your device’s IP address. VPNs have thousands of secure global servers that you can connect to. When you connect to one of these servers, your real IP address will be hidden. Remember, websites use your IP address to determine your device’s location!
Your internet traffic will be routed through the server that you have connected to, which allows your device to adopt the server’s IP address. So, if you connect to a server in another country, it will appear as if your device was accessing the website from that country.
If we go back to our previous example of trying to catch an ESPN live stream from Germany, we can see this process in action. All you need to do is fire up your VPN and connect it to a server in the US. Your IP address will be masked, and your device will adopt the US IP address instead, making it appear as if you were within US borders. You’ll now be allowed to access your stream!
The Best VPNs to Use
Believe it or not, there are thousands of VPNs to choose from. But the decision on which one to use is easier than you might expect because there is one important guideline that you always need to follow. As long as you’re using a premium VPN, you’re in safe hands. This is especially important when it comes to live streams, and here’s why.
If you’re using a free VPN, you can expect to have a multitude of ads, less security, slower connection speeds, daily data limits, and fewer global servers to choose from.