Redakcja Choose TV
This week marks the beginning of the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be held simultaneously in the United States, Canada, and Mexico for the first time. With the tournament starting, a question arises that many fans have been asking for years: will the matches be available to watch in 4K HDR quality? While the organisers have prepared a signal that allows for broadcasting in the highest quality, it doesn't mean that every broadcaster will choose to take advantage of it.
HDR is becoming more important than 4K
A few years ago, it seemed that 4K would quickly become the standard for major sporting events. However, the reality has turned out to be more complicated. More and more television stations are now choosing broadcasts in 1080p HDR, forgoing full 4K. The reason is simple. HDR can significantly enhance picture quality, contrast, and colours, while requiring much less bandwidth than transmitting in native 4K. For broadcasters, this means lower costs and easier signal distribution. According to available information, FIFA provides a production signal in 4K HDR, but its use depends on local partners who hold broadcasting rights.
What about Poland?
At this moment, there has been no official information confirming the broadcast of all matches of the 2026 World Cup in 4K HDR for Polish viewers. Even if some matches are shown in higher quality, much will depend on the TV operator, streaming platform, and the equipment used. It’s also worth remembering that simply owning a 4K TV does not guarantee reception of broadcasts in that quality. The applications, decoders, and support for HDR formats and surround sound are also significant. Data published by foreign operators indicates that even in countries offering Ultra HD broadcast, some transmissions are merely upscaled from a lower resolution. Therefore, in practice, the differences between individual markets can be very large.
Although technology today allows for sports broadcasts in 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos, the 2026 World Cup shows that the industry is still in a transitional period. For many broadcasters, HDR is becoming a priority, providing a clear improvement in picture quality with significantly lower technical requirements than full 4K. Polish fans will have to wait for official information regarding the quality of broadcasts available in our market.
source: flatpanelshd
