If you're looking for the latest guide on where to watch AFCON live streams for free, we have everything you need. Better yet, no matter what country you're in right now, you can enjoy the Africa Cup of Nations' grand final today. We've also looked through the quality paid options in different international markets to see where the best prices are.
Tournament hosts Ivory Coast take on favorites Nigeria on Sunday in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations. The Ivorians got their tournament off to a shaky start and were on the brink of an humiliating group-stage elimination. Despite seeing head coach Jean-Louis Gasset dismissed mid-tournament, the Elephants have somehow managed to turn things around, scraping wins over Senegal and DR Congo in the knockout stages to book their place in today's showpiece showdown.
They now come up against a Nigerian side that has looked strong throughout the tournament, claiming knockout stage convincing wins over Cameroon, Angola and a penalty-shoot-out victory over South Africa in the semifinal. The Super Eagles will also draw confidence from having already beaten the Ivorians 1-0 in their Group A clash at the start of the tournament.
Ivory Coast take on Nigeria in the AFCON 2023 final at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpé on Sunday, Feb. 11.
Here's how they line up Ivory Coast XI: Y. Fofana; Aurier, Diomande, Ndicka, Konan; Kessie, Sangare, S. Fofana; Boga, Krasso, KouameNigeria XI: Nwabali; Troost-Ekong, Ajayi, Bassey; Aina, Onyeka, Iwobi, Sanusi; Chukwueze, Osimhen, Lookman
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Can Osmihen fire his side to victory? Or will the Ivory Coast take a huge step towards progressing from the group stage?
Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the final live wherever you are in the world.
How to Use a VPN - Beginners Guide
Free Options for Watching AFCON
If you want to watch for free, you'll want to check out SABC, a channel in South Africa, or the UK's BBC3. If you want access to every match of this year's Africa Cup of Nations, South African TV channel SABC has your back, with no sign-up required. The UK's BBC3 is another option to consider. As mentioned above, BBC3 has shown ten select games during the tournament and will also cover today's final.
Using a VPN to Bypass Geo-Restrictions
If you’re overseas when Ivory Coast vs Nigeria is on and try to watch the live action on your normal streaming service, you'll inevitably find that the coverage is blocked due to geographical rights reasons.
A VPN (virtual private network) will simulate your viewing device's location to allow you to stream feeds on international sites you'd otherwise be unable to play. We'll give you the rundown on how to do it below.
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Don't worry. You can push through the block with a VPN and start watching once you set its location to South Africa/UK.
A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non-blackout area.
You can get started with a VPN in three easy steps:
- Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN.
- Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location. For example, you can use Express's South Africa server to watch SABC Plus.
Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this. Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Quick tips for streaming the Africa Cup of Nations using a VPN With four variables at play -- your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN -- your experience and success when streaming AFCON matches may vary.
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If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.
If you're having trouble getting the game after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs -- like Roku -- don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location. And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services.
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services.
ExpressVPN Offer
Don't have a VPN? There's a fantastic offer right now on the best VPN we've tested and have been using for years for streaming and beefing up our online security. You can pick up ExpressVPN, save 49% on the usual price, and get three months for free. It's the best investment in your sports-watching future if you know you'll want to watch more international sports streams. If you're unsatisfied with the VPN, there's a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Want to learn more about the product? With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that make it exceptional.
Paid Streaming Options
We've also looked through the quality paid options in different international markets to see where the best prices are. For example, in the US, it will only cost you $5 to watch via a streaming bundle that includes the required channel, BeIn.
United States
If you want to watch AFCON online in the USA, you'll find it on the BeIN channel. FuboTV has it on its cheapest tier, which includes a seven-day free trial. After that, it's a rather eye-watering $79.99 a month. If you want the cheapest option in the US, we've found a super cheap deal of just $5. Yes, five. Sling TV lets you bag its Sling Soccer Pass without signing up for the regular Sling package. That's an absolute steal.
This year's tournament final will be shown exclusively live in the US via BeIN Sports, which is available through most cable providers. If you don't have a cable or satellite TV subscription, you can watch AFCON fixtures with a live TV streaming service, with a number of major services offering BeIN Sports.
In the US, the game is available to watch and stream live through beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Espanol, Fanatiz, Fubo (with a free 7-day trial), Sling World Sports, and Sling Latino.
Streaming Services in the US
- Fubo
- Fanatiz
- Sling TV
- beIN SPORTS
All of the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection.
United Kingdom
Sky Sports was covering every AFCON match and will also have today's final. This second option involves paying up for a Sky contract or a Now TV subscription, which lets you get Sky Sports on a one-month rolling contract that you can cancel whenever you like, and a single month will cost you £34.99, or you can buy a day pass for £11.99.
Rights to show this year's tournament in the UK are split between pay TV network Sky Sports and free-to-air broadcaster the BBC. Both networks will be showing the final between the Ivory Coast and Nigeria live with the match set to be shown for free on BBC Three as well as Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event channels.
Matches being shown on the BBC can be streamed for free via the public broadcaster's online service iPlayer, so long as you have a valid UK TV license.
Sky subsidiary Now (formerly Now TV) offers streaming access to Sky Sports channels with a Now Sports membership. You can get a day of access for £12, or sign up to a monthly plan from £25 per month right now.
Canada
If you want to stream games from the AFCON in Canada, you'll need to subscribe to BeIN Sports. The service has exclusive rights for this year's tournament in the region and is available via most cable operators. If that's not an option, the network also offers its very own standalone streaming service BeIN Sports Connect.
Streaming service BeIN Sports Connect is available for just CA$15 for a monthly pass or a yearly commitment for $100 per year. The service has dedicated apps for smartphones and tablets, as well as smart TVs.
Australia
Football fans Down Under can watch this year's tournament on BeIN Sports, which is showing every single AFCON game live in Australia. BeIN Sports is available in Australia for AU$15 a month or a yearly commitment of $150.
Team News
Host nation Ivory Coast will be looking to register back-to-back wins in the Africa Cup of Nations when they face Nigeria in the second round of group games at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe on Thursday.
Jean-Louis Gasset's side got their tournament off to an awesome start as they beat Guinea-Bissau 2-0 in the opening match, while Nigeria had to settle for a point in a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea.
A victory for the hosts would ensure them a place in the knockout stage of the competition.
Borussia Dortmund forward Sebastian Haller remains a doubt after missing the opening game due to an ankle problem.
However, Jean-Philippe Krasso made the best of leading the attack as a Crvena zvezda forward joined Seko Fofana among the goals at the weekend.
With Ibrahim Sangare and skipper Franck Kessie alongside Fofana in the middle, Ousmane Diomande is set for his second international cap following his debut in the Guinea-Bissau win.
Ivory Coast possible XI: Y. Fofana; Singo, Diomande, Ndicka, Konan; Kessie, Sangare, S. Fofana; Boga, Krasso, Bamba.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Y. Fofana, Ayayi, Sangare |
| Defenders | Diomande, Konan, Singo, Kossounou, Boly, Aurier, Ndicka, Diallo |
| Midfielders | Seri, S. Fofana |
Fans who are unable to watch the game can follow the live updates on GOAL.
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