The Best Televisions To Watch The 2018 World Cup In 4K

The 2018 Men’s World Cup in Russia begins tomorrow, and plenty of people across the globe will be tuning in on television. Soccer fans that can’t get to Russia but have a 4K TV could be in luck: all 64 games will be broadcast live in 4K for those with DirecTV. With 4K, it’ll almost look like you’re there.

 

I don’t advise anyone to make a hasty decision to go out and purchase a 4K TV, especially because the prices of some of the higher-end units should drop as the market becomes more competitive, but these are some of the best 4K televisions if you’re looking to buy before the World Cup.

 

LG C8

The LG B8 (which is below the C8), E8, and W8 are all options in LG’s lineup, but the C8 might be the sweet spot for those looking for the best television currently available. The models vary in build and some features, but the picture quality is the same from the C8 to the W8 (which is the stunning Wallpaper TV). The 65-inch C8 is around $3,500, but you can also go ten inches smaller with the 55” version for around $2,500. There’s also the monster 77-inch C8, but that’ll cost around $9,000. If you have the money, the LG OLED is the way to go if you really want to buy a 4K TV right now for the World Cup. But ideally, you’ll wait for these LGs to drop in price in the coming months and years.

 

Samsung MU8000

Samsung’s QLED is a strong option, but it can cost about as much as the LG OLEDs yet arguably doesn’t have as good picture quality. (QLED is also recommended by Microsoft for their Xbox One X 4K console, for what it’s worth.) Samsung’s popular MU8000 unit is probably the best option for most people. It gets rave reviews, and it can be had at $1,300 for 65 inches and around $2,300 for 75 inches

 

TCL 5-Series

TCL is one of the fastest-rising television companies, thanks in large part to their affordable prices for good picture quality. $900 will get you a 65-inch 5-Series, which is just a step below from their highest-model, the 6-Series. The 5-Series includes Dolby Vision HDR, which helps with picture quality. Unlike the 6-Series, the 5-Series also comes in 43 inches and 49 inches in addition to the 55-inch and 65-inch models.

 

Vizio M Series

There are a few different options from Vizio: The D-Series, E-Series, M-Series, P-Series, and P-Series Quantum. They are all 4K, and all but the D-Series also have Dolby Vision HDR. All five in the lineup are good options and should give a great World Cup experience, but we’ll go with the middle unit of the bunch. The 65-inch M-Series is currently $300 off at $1,000, and there’s also a 70-inch for $1,500.

 

Bonus: Hisense TV

Hisense is an official sponsor of the World Cup, and they made quite the deal with the tournament to get an exclusive Fox Sports app which streams the World Cup games in 4K. So you won’t need DirecTV specifically for this, but you need a cable or satellite subscription with Fox and Fox Sports 1 to use the exclusive World Cup app. Hisense might not threaten LG for the picture-quality crown with their current lineup, but they are an option for hardcore soccer fans that want to watch in 4K.