Streaming live World Cup soccer games on airplanes is becoming a reality

Soccer fans may soon be able to catch more than just flights while traveling this summer on one of America’s largest airlines. Just in time for the world’s largest sporting event—the FIFA World Cup—travelers will be able to stream live entertainment on some United Airlines flights with Starlink Wi-Fi, thanks to a collaboration with DirecTV. The experience, which includes a number of live TV channels, will continue through July 20 on “as many as 150 Starlink-enabled aircraft,” according to a United announcement this week. “This technology has the potential to transform how we think about the inflight experience for both our customers and our employees,” David Kinzelman, United’s chief customer officer, said in a statement. Starlink, which is owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is available for free to United MileagePlus members, who will be notified on availability prior to the flight. United Airlines already has 400 total aircraft with Starlink, expecting to reach 1,000 by the end of the year. The airline first introduced the technology to its fleet in March 2025. The Wi-Fi service is especially fast, thanks to the over 10,000 active Starlink satellites orbiting the Earth, which together form the largest satellite constellation in history. Starlink enters the airspace United is not the only airline jumping on board with Starlink. Earlier this year, Lufthansa Group announced its plans to start offering Wi-Fi services in late 2026. It will equip all of Lufthansa’s commercial airlines, including carriers in Austria, Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland, with the technology. Other major airlines that have either adopted or plan to roll out Starlink include Air France, Air New Zealand, Air Seoul, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, and Iberia. Meanwhile, offering in-flight access to the soccer matches this summer is not the only way that United is tapping into the World Cup craze. Inspired by Scotland’s Tartan Army—when Scottish fans found a wholesome connection with locals during their home team’s stint in Boston—United launched a reactive advertising campaign amid the viral phenomenon. “Go visit your new Scottish friends with flights to Edinburgh and Glasgow,” read a billboard in Boston with United’s emblematic blue.