Streaming news roundup: the NHL Draft is tonight, the World Cup knockouts begin this weekend, and DirecTV's hike is now live

A loaded sports weekend: the NHL Draft goes tonight, the World Cup reaches its first-ever Round of 32 on Sunday, and the DirecTV price increase we covered Wednesday just took effect. Here's how to watch — and what's free.

The gist: It's a big weekend on the dial. The NHL Draft kicks off tonight, the World Cup hits its knockout stage Sunday with the first-ever Round of 32, and the DirecTV price increase landed yesterday. Here's where to watch each — and which parts cost nothing.

Tonight: the NHL Draft

The 2026 NHL Draft opens tonight, Friday June 26, at 7 p.m. ET from Buffalo. The Toronto Maple Leafs hold the No. 1 pick. How to watch:

• Round 1 (tonight): ESPN and ESPN+ in the US; Sportsnet in Canada.
• Rounds 2–7 (Saturday, June 27, late morning ET): NHL Network and ESPN+ in the US; Sportsnet in Canada.

There's no free over-the-air option here — it's cable, the ESPN App (ESPN Unlimited), or a live-TV service that carries ESPN. A Sling Day Pass ($4.99) remains the cheap way to catch round one without a monthly plan. In Canada, this is one of the first marquee events of the new Rogers/Sportsnet era we wrote about earlier this month.

This weekend: the World Cup reaches the knockouts

The group stage wraps up Saturday, and the tournament enters sudden-death play with the Round of 32 — the first ever — running June 28 to July 3. Thirty-two of the 48 teams advance (the 12 group winners, 12 runners-up, and the 8 best third-place teams); win and you move on, lose and you're out. The USA already clinched a spot with its win over Australia, and plays its Round of 32 match July 1 in the San Francisco Bay Area (opponent set once the groups finish).

The good news for watching: nothing changes, and a lot of it is free.

• English: every match is on FOX or FS1, with FOX-network games free over the air with an antenna. All matches stream on FOX One and the FOX Sports app, and the channels are also carried by Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream, and Sling.
• Spanish: Telemundo and Universo (free over the air), with all matches streaming on Peacock.
• Free streaming: Tubi carries selected matches at no cost and no login.

The knockouts are where casual viewership spikes, so if you've been meaning to sort out your setup, now's the time — an antenna alone covers the FOX matches for $0. (Full breakdown in our World Cup guide.)

Already on your bill: the DirecTV increase

A quick heads-up tied to Wednesday's piece: DirecTV's price increase took effect yesterday, June 25. If your bill looks higher — especially on the sports-heavy plans — that's why. The increases run from about $1 to $14 a month depending on your package, with the MySports pack up $10. If it's prompting you to reconsider, our DirecTV explainer walks through what changed and how to weigh the alternatives (YouTube TV, Fubo, and Sling all carry different sports lineups at different prices — and which RSNs they include depends on your market).

Draft night, the World Cup knockouts, or rethinking your TV bill — StreamCaddy tells you the cheapest correct way to watch your teams, for your location and the services you already have.

Sources

1. NHL.com — "2026 NHL Draft Coverage Central" (June 26–27, Buffalo; Round 1 tonight on ESPN/ESPN+/Sportsnet, Rounds 2–7 Saturday on NHL Network/ESPN+/Sportsnet), June 2026 — https://www.nhl.com/events/nhl-draft/
2. FOX Sports — "2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule" (group stage through June 27; Round of 32 June 28–July 3; all matches on FOX/FS1, free over the air on FOX, streaming on FOX One), June 2026 — https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/fifa-world-cup/schedule
3. CBS News — "The 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup schedule and how to watch" (USA clinched with win over Australia; Round of 32 match July 1 in the San Francisco Bay Area; Telemundo/Universo and Peacock for Spanish), June 25, 2026 — https://www.cbsnews.com/news/world-cup-2026-schedule-how-to-watch/
4. WorldCupPass — "World Cup 2026 Round of 32: Format, Schedule, Bracket" (first-ever Round of 32, June 28–July 3; FOX free over the air, every match on FOX One; Tubi streams selected matches free), June 2026 — https://worldcuppass.com/world-cup-2026-round-of-32/
5. DIRECTV Support — "DIRECTV price changes" (increase effective on or after June 25, 2026), 2026 — https://www.directv.com/support/article/000066845