What you need to know before buying a 4K TV for the 2022 FIFA World Cup

The Christmas tree is going up, you've scrolled through 30 tabs on Etsy trying to find that perfect personalised present... and Wales are taking on England at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Qatar. 

Yes, the festive season is going to be a bit different this year, with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 kicking off on 20 November and culminating with the final on 18 December.

TV manufacturers usually see any big sporting event as the perfect excuse to flog their latest models, but is the World Cup really worth buying a new TV for? And will you be able to watch any of the World Cup games in 4K?

We've weighed up the pros and cons – and spoken to the BBC and ITV to learn their broadcasting plans – to see whether a new 4K TV should be top of your shopping list (maybe get the presents first, actually).

Best 4K TVs for 2022 - find out which TVs performed best in our in-depth tests

Will you be able to watch the 2022 FIFA World Cup in 4K?

Watching the World Cup in 4K sounds like a tantalising proposition and one that may prompt you to finally upgrade that old HD TV. But before you do so, there are some important things to consider - not least whether there will actually be any 4K World Cup content.

We spoke to the BBC and ITV (the two broadcasters responsible for airing World Cup games in the UK), to see what their plans are. 

First off, neither has an over-the-air 4K channel (in other words, one you access via a rooftop or indoor aerial). Instead, 4K is usually available only via online streams.

However, ITV (which is soon due to replace ITV Hub with a new streaming service called ITVX), told us it has no plans to stream World Cup games in 4K.

The BBC wasn't ready to confirm its broadcast plans when we first published this story but has since announced that the majority of games will be available in 4K HDR on iPlayer. It didn't specify which ones, but it's airing 33 games over the course of the tournament, so we should have plenty of 4K matches to look forward to.

World cup schedule: when, where and whether they're 4K

These are the group games, we'll add the knockout rounds once the group stages are finished

Drawbacks of streaming

Assuming there are some World Cup matches to stream in 4K, there are still potential limitations to be aware of. 

Is your broadband up to it?

If you struggle to stream Netflix or YouTube in 4K, you'll also struggle to stream in 4K on BBC iPlayer. The BBC recommends a minimum broadband speed of 24Mpbs for its full 4K content, so it's worth checking yours using our free broadband speed test tool.

Bear in mind that doing other bandwidth-intensive things, such as online gaming or downloading, while you're streaming a match could affect the quality of your stream.

Broadband isn't always to blame for choppy live streams though. If your broadband is quick enough but you're still noticing stuttering, remember you're streaming a live event happening 4,000 miles away and problems can arise. The BBC and ITV aren't entirely responsible for the streams either. Both use FIFA's stream, so delays and dropouts are often a result of a problem with FIFA's tech or cameras.

Be mindful of stream delays

Streaming a live event isn't quite as 'live' as watching it through an aerial. There's usually a few seconds of delay (sometimes it can stretch to more than a minute), so if you're within earshot of a neighbour you might hear their shouts and whoops of delight as a goal goes in before you see it for yourself.

The BBC is aware of this problem and developing technology to combat it, but the broadcaster says it needs work from the wider industry to implement. For now at least, delays with live 4K content is still an issue.

The good news is that with the World Cup taking place in the winter it's unlikely your neighbours will be watching games outside. If you can still hear them through the walls, consider investing in a decent set of TV headphones.

How a 4K TV will improve HD sport, films and everything else

Although you need 4K content to make the most of a 4K TV, HD games will still look better on a 4K TV. 

You can't really get HD TVs any more (unless you're in the market for a 32-inch set) and there isn't any reason to specifically choose one. They don't tend to be cheaper than entry-level 4K sets and, when we last tested them, we found that the HD picture tended to look better on 4K TVs. This is partly due to upscaling tech in the TVs that sharpens lower resolutions, helping them look closer to 4K.

Buying the right TV will help create a smoother image, too. This is ideal for fast-moving sport where you want objects to feel solid and not leave blurry smears on the screen or judder. It's not always a good thing, though, and we recommend you turn motion-smoothing tech off when watching a film.

TVs usually have a dedicated sport mode, but you can also use our picture settings tool to find the ideal settings for all occasions.

The TV features you don't need when watching sport

A 120Hz panel is something that seems like a good idea for sport. It means the screen can refresh the image 120 times a second. More frames equals a smoother picture, but TV is broadcast at 60Hz, so you're not going to see the benefit.

120Hz displays are only found on high-end TVs, so don't feel like you need to spend more for one of these. They are only truly useful if you've got a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S, both of which can run games at 120 frames a second.

Size isn't really a factor either. A bigger TV won't necessarily give you a better experience. Instead, it's best to choose the TV that's suitable for your room. A Which? Best Buy TV will do all content justice, regardless of screen size. Use our free tool to find the perfect TV screen size for the size of your room.

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World Cup TVs to consider

Picture and sound quality are key – you want to see the game clearly and smoothly, and be immersed with sound that evokes the atmosphere of the stadium.

We've picked out a few models that tick the tech boxes for a good World Cup experience. Head to our full reviews for the full picture.

LG OLED48C26LB (£999)

At 48 inches, the OLED48C26LB will fit well in most rooms and is packed with tech that will help sport look and sound impressive including the display. The way OLED TVs produce the picture lends itself to smoothness as each individual pixel creates its own light.

It also has some high-end features and boasts a 120hz display, but as explained earlier this is more for gaming and won't improve your World Cup viewing.

Read our full LG OLED48C26LB review

LG 43UQ90006LA (£437)

Looking for a smaller TV? This LG is more basic than the OLED48C26LB, smaller (43 inches) and cheaper. At around £450, it's one of the cheaper 4K 43-inch TVs available.

Read our full LG 43UQ90006LA review

Samsung QE65QN85B (£1,599)

Neo QLED TVs such as this are backlit, like LCD screens, but use many more, smaller, bulbs shining on liquid crystals and quantum dots to make a brighter, smoother and more colourful picture. You can get a more high-end Samsung than this, but you don't necessarily need to for good-looking sport.

Read our full Samsung QE65QN85B review

Buying on a budget? Read our guide on what to look out for when buying a refurbished or second-hand TV