World Cup 2026: How to set up your television correctly – tips for a better picture

Optimize picture and sound

How to get your TV ready for the World Cup

Manufacturers such as Samsung, Sony, TCL and LG are advertising special football functions for the World Cup. But older televisions can also be optimized with just a few settings.

Previous tournaments have already shown that football places particular demands on the television image: fast passes, rapid camera pans and large grass areas push some devices to their limits. Many manufacturers promise a solution thanks to special pre-configured functions to improve the television experience of football fans. Before the World Cup, it’s worth taking a look at the TV menu.

The ball will roll at the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico from June 11th to July 19th, 2026. Because of the time difference, many games start late in the evening or after midnight – usually in the darkened living room. How bright the room is influences which image settings produce the best results.

If you own a newer branded device, you will often find prepared functions there. An overview according to the manufacturer’s information:

• Samsung Many devices offer a sports or football mode that adapts the picture and sound to sports broadcasts with a preset. Newer models add special AI functions. An “AI Soccer Mode” is intended to automatically adapt image and sound to soccer broadcasts and emphasize the green of the pitch and ball tracking. The commentary and stadium noise can be controlled separately using a voice command using a sound control: If you only want to hear the cheers after a goal, you can mute the commentary. If desired, a voice assistant answers questions about players, statistics or rules. Higher-quality models also offer an anti-reflective surface that reduces reflections from lamps or windows.
• Sony relies primarily on image processing. The motion smoothing Motionflow is intended to display fast game scenes without blurring, and the in-house image processor emphasizes important areas such as the ball, player or score. The manufacturer also attaches importance to natural rather than oversaturated colors, which should make lawns, jerseys and skin tones appear more realistic. Newer models use direct RGB backlighting, which is intended to produce brighter images and reduce blooming in bright areas – such as a bright glow around floodlights or the ball.
• LG equips its televisions with a preset sports mode, directly called “football” in some models. The OLED Motion Pro technology works to combat motion blur, inserting additional black image content so that fast scenes appear clearer. The Sports Alert function is practically out of the picture: Anyone who registers their team will be informed about results, pairings and kick-off times. Premium devices can also be calibrated largely automatically using an integrated function.
• TCL Advertises current devices with AI-supported optimization of image, depth and sound, which is supposed to automatically adjust details and sharpness. A quick settings menu allows you to quickly change the image and sound during the game without having to delve deeply into the menus. If desired, the control can be done by voice using the integrated Google Assistant, which also answers questions on the screen.

Regardless of the brand and even on older devices, the image in the menu can be individually adjusted. After all, your own preferences do not always coincide with the manufacturer’s settings. These adjusting screws are therefore also important:

• Movement sharpness: Fast passes and wide camera pans often appear blurry or jerky. The solution is the intermediate image calculation, which includes additional images. The function has a different name depending on the brand and usually contains the word “Motion”. A medium value is generally recommended here: when turned up to full volume, image errors can occur, such as a double ball or shadows around the players.
• Image mode: Many devices have a preset sport mode. In many cases, this is the most convenient choice: it adapts brightness, colors and motion display to sports in one step and is sufficient for many viewers. However, some users report that the image often appears too bright and artificial. If you like it more natural, you should try a more neutral mode such as “Film”, “Standard” or “Natural” – combined with moderate motion smoothing.
• Brightness and energy saving mode: In a darkened living room, the brightness does not have to be high. Daylight only comes into the room in the summer evenings during early games; then the backlight can be increased slightly. Regardless of the time, it may be worth turning off the energy saving or eco mode, which permanently darkens the screen. You should also pay attention to annoying reflections from lamps or windows.
• Sharpness and image enhancer: Too much sharpness emphasizes contours unnaturally. If the control is high, you should lower it gradually. Additional detail and noise filters sometimes create a grainy turf or double contours around the players in football and can be reduced.
• Clay: Many TVs offer a sports or stadium sound mode that emphasizes the atmosphere of the bleachers. If the comment is lost, voice amplification, which depending on the device is called “clear voice” or “dialogue”, helps and emphasizes the voices. A night or volume limiting mode is practical for late kick-off times: it dampens loud cheering peaks without drowning out quiet passages. If the sound of the built-in speakers is not enough, a soundbar improves the sound – but it is not mandatory.

The best picture is of little use if the signal is weak. If you watch via cable or satellite, you should check the resolution in the receiver. ARD and ZDF do not consistently broadcast major tournaments in 4K, so the image quality also depends on the broadcaster.

When streaming, internet speed is crucial. As a rough guideline per running stream, providers give around three megabits per second for SD, around five Mbit/s for HD and around ten Mbit/s for Full HD. For 4K, 15 to 25 Mbit/s is usually recommended. These values ​​apply per stream.

If several devices are running at home at the same time, the requirements add up accordingly – two Full HD streams already need around 20 Mbit/s. It should also be noted that the Wi-Fi speed booked in the tariff will be lower depending on the distance and the walls. If the stream is jerky despite a sufficient line, a connection via a network cable may be more stable.