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How to watch the World Cup Final online – Germany vs Argentina live stream and best apps

World Cup Final

Live streams and apps to watch the World Cup Final for free online on desktop, Android and iOS

And so the World Cup 2014 ends, with the final deciding which nation can declare itself true master of the beautiful game for the next four years. This year we’ve got Germany vs Argentina, with a 20:00 kick-off in the UK. Rio’s iconic Maracanã stadium is the venue for the biggest match in the footballing calendar with the likes of Messi, Müller, Higuain and Kroos battling it out to decide which team will be world champion. With Germany on top form after beating Brazil 7-1 in the semi-final and Argentina feeling confident after their penalty win, it’s looking like it’s going to be one hell of a game, and certainly one that can’t be missed.

If you won’t be sat in front of the TV for the World Cup Final then there’s no reason for you to miss a second of the action. The game is being broadcast in the UK on both BBC1 and ITV1. In this article we’ll show you how to get the live streams. All of the instructions assume that you’re in the UK, buy if you’re away on holiday you can read how to watch UK TV when abroad to find out how to trick the BBC and ITV into letting you play the stream.

Largely, choosing between the two channels comes down to personal preference. We have a slight preference for the BBC, both in terms of commentators and streaming technology, so we’ll start here. The BBC Sport website has high-quality streams for laptop and desktop as well as Android phones and tablets and iPhone and iPad. On desktop the stream on the BBC Sport website can also be time-shifted, so you can rewind to watch goals and other incidents or go back to the start of the match if you miss kick off.

To watch the match live on Android phones and tablets or iPhone and iPad visit the BBC Sport website or use the BBC iPlayer app. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, get BBC iPlayer Android or BBC iPlayer iOS now. Once you’ve opened the app tap the menu icon, TV Guide, select the World Cup Final on BBC One, accept the TV Licence and data warnings and enjoy the match. The 2014 World Cup Final will also be on BBC Radio 5Live, which you can listen to from the 5Live website for desktop or mobile or via the BBC iPlayer Radio Android and BBC iPlayer Radio iOS apps.

ITV will be live streaming the final via the web version of ITV Player. The ITV iOS App allows some live streaming, but sports and some channels are charged, with a £3.99 subscription fee unlocking them. Our advice is to skip this option. Unfortunately, the Android version doesn’t support live streaming at all.

If BBC iPlayer or the BBC Sport website go down under the strain then people with a tablet or phone should try TVCatchup for Android and iOS. This is a free app with streams for most Freeview channels, including BBC One and ITV1. Desktop and laptop users can use the TVCatchup website for a similar experience. On Twitter you should follow the official hashtags #WorldCup2014#WorldCup and of course #GERvsARG.