Technologies

Watch Portugal vs. Morocco World Cup 2022 Match From Anywhere

Morocco looks to pull off another shock as it faces Bruno Fernandes and Portugal in today’s quarterfinal showdown in Qatar. You can stream it live from anywhere in the world.

Morocco aims to continue its magnificent run at the 2022 World Cup with more giant-killing heroics, this time against Portugal in a quarterfinal clash. Africa’s sole remaining representative in the tournament, Morocco made it through to the last eight with a memorable win on penalties over 2010 World Cup winner Spain, with Achraf Hakimi’s cheeky winning Panenka penalty kick underlining the confidence now surging through Walid Regragui’s side.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on Portugal coach Fernando Santos for this massive game, after superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of the starting line-up during the team’s round of 16 victory over Switzerland in favor of Benfica youngster Gonçalo Ramos. The controversial decision appeared to be the right one, however, with the 21-year-old hitting a rare World Cup hat-trick as his side cruised to a 6-1 win to set up this fixture.

The Morocco-Portugal game starts on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 10 a.m. ET (7 a.m. PT). The match will be shown nationwide in the US on Peacock and Fox, which is available on numerous live TV streaming services. Outside the US, World Cup matches are being carried by other streaming services, including ITVX in the UK, SBS in Australia and TSN in Canada. But what if you’re traveling outside your home country and want to enjoy the match, or just want an added layer of privacy for streaming? There is an option that doesn’t require searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a VPN, or virtual private network.

Here’s how you can watch the game, and the rest of the 2022 World Cup, from anywhere in the world with a VPN.

When is the Portugal vs. Morocco match?

Morocco will play Portugal at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. ET) on Saturday, Dec. 10.

Elsewhere in the world, the match starts at 10 p.m. in Qatar, 7 p.m. in London, and on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 6 a.m. in Sydney.

How to watch the Morocco vs. Portugal match online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the match locally, that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on match day by encrypting your traffic, plus it’s a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you’ve got a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

Livestream the Portugal vs. Morocco match in the US

The Portugal-Morocco match is on Fox in the US, so you’ll need a live TV streaming service that carries a Fox station that’s broadcasting the game. The least expensive such service is Sling TV Blue.

Numerous other live TV streaming services carry FS1 and local Fox stations as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and FuboTV. They all cost more than Sling TV, but they also carry more channels. Check out our live TV streaming channel guide for details.

Watch the World Cup 2022 Morocco vs. Portugal match for free in the UK

Stream Morocco vs. Portugal World Cup 2022 match in Australia

In addition to the services and countries listed above, numerous other local fixtures are carrying the World Cup 2022. They include:

Argentina: TVP
Belgium: RTBF (French) and VRT (Dutch)
Brazil: TV Globo
Canada: TSN
France: TF1 and beIN Sports
Germany: ARD and ZDF
Hong Kong: PCCW
Japan: Dentsu
New Zealand: Sky
Spain: RTVE

Quick tips for streaming the World Cup 2022 using a VPN

With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the «search for city or country» option.
If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.

Technologies

Lossless Audio Finally Arrives for Spotify Premium Subscribers. Here’s How to Enable It

The streaming audio company says the feature is rolling out to Premium subscribers in some regions.

Lossless audio, a format that Spotify says has been much-requested by subscribers over the years, is finally arriving on the streaming service.

In a post, the company says that 24-bit/44.1kHz FLAC audio will now be an option for premium subscribers in select markets «across nearly every song available in Spotify.»

Subscribers will have the option to adjust music quality as low, normal, high, very high and now lossless, with the option to see how much data each tier requires.
While audio formats such as MP3 or AAC use varying degrees of compression to reduce file sizes — which means you don’t get the full depth and range of the music — lossless formats including FLAC and Apple’s ALAC preserve the original data from a song without any quality loss.

In addition to working in Spotify’s apps, the company says, lossless audio will be available on some Spotify Connect devices from Sony, Bose, Samsung, Sennheiser and other manufacturers. It plans to add support for Sonos and Amazon audio devices next month, according to the post.

The lossless feature has been a missing component on the service, which launched in 2008 and became available in the US in 2011. Some of its audio-streaming competitors added lossless before Spotify.

«Spotify has promised a lossless music tier for many years, originally dubbed Supremium, and it is one of the last of its competitors to add uncompressed tunes,» said Ty Pendlebury, TV and home video editor at CNET. «Both Apple and Amazon added complimentary lossless and hi-res files back in 2021, while YouTube Music is one of the only holdouts by only offering compressed music.»

Spotify says lossless is eventually rolling out to 50 different markets.

How to enable lossless audio on Spotify

Once you receive a notification from Spotify that lossless is available, you can use the Spotify app to enable the feature.

To do this, tap on your profile image, go to Settings & Privacy, then Media Quality and select where to enable the format: over Wi-Fi, over cellular or in downloads.

The company says you need to enable the feature manually for each device you use.

Technologies

You Can Play Hollow Knight: Silksong on Xbox Game Pass Now

Microsoft is adding a few other games to the service soon, but everyone knows we’re here to play Silksong, right?

The wait is over. After years of rumors and speculation, Hollow Knight: Silksong, the sequel to the award-winning indie darling Hollow Knight, is here. And Xbox Game Pass subscribers can play the highly anticipated sequel right now at no additional cost.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, smart TV and PC or mobile device for $20 a month. A subscription gives you access to a large library of games, with new ones, like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, added monthly, plus other benefits such as online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

Here are all the games Microsoft is adding to Game Pass soon. You can also check out the games the company added to the service in August, including Gears of War: Reloaded.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

The wait is over for one of the most anticipated indie games in recent memory. You play as the hunter and princess Hornet as she ascends to Hallownest’s peak. You’ll venture through mossy grottos, craft deadly tools and take on over 200 powerful bugs with acrobatic skills as you climb to the top. But you aren’t just taking down everything in your path. You’ll also befriend strangers and unlock secrets that might help you in your quest.

I Am Your Beast

Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard subscribers can play now.

This covert, revenge thriller is like a comic book in game form. You play as a retired secret agent who gets called in for «one last job.» But unlike other stories where the hero says, «Yes,» you say, «No.» So now the military-industrial complex is hunting you through the North American wilderness. You have to evade your enemies and sabotage their equipment to survive.

Nine Sols

New to Game Pass Standard.

Don’t let the cute cat-like hero fool you; this game can be brutal. This 2D action platformer is about revenge. You play as an ancient hero who awakes from a 500-year slumber to embark on a vengeful journey against those who imprisoned them. The hand-drawn art style and gameplay inspired by Sekiro make this a uniquely challenging and beautiful game.

Game Pass Ultimate subscribers could play this game in December, and Game Pass Standard subscribers can play this difficult but rewarding game soon, too.

Cataclismo

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

This game combines resource management, real-time strategy, siege defense and exploration into one title. Creatures from a corrupted world, called Horrors, are seeking to destroy humanity, so you have to build intricate fortresses to fend off waves of enemies. Once the Horrors are gone, you’ll forage for resources outside of your defenses during the day to help in the next night’s attacks. Will you be able to find a way to put a stop to the Horrors once and for all, or will you fall like the rest of humanity?

Paw Patrol World

Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard subscribers can play now.

Microsoft removed this kid-friendly game from Game Pass in February, and the company is bringing it back to the service this month. You can play as Chase, Skye, Marshall or Everest as they save the day across locations like Adventure Bay, Jake’s Mountain, the Jungle and Barkingburg. Use your nose to sniff out secrets and pup treats you can use to unlock new outfits and more for your pup.

RoadCraft

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on Sept. 16.

When natural disasters strike, someone has to clean up the damage and restore the local infrastructure. That’s where you and your company come in. You’ll use construction machinery to clear debris, replace faulty equipment and rebuild roads, bridges and more. Don’t just throw all that debris away. Some of it can be recycled and used for reconstruction in this building simulator.

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass on Sept. 15

While Microsoft is adding all those games to Game Pass soon, the company is removing a few others from the service on Sept. 15. So you still have some time to finish your main campaign and any side quests in these games before you’ll have to buy them separately.

For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now, read our hands-on review of the gaming service and learn which Game Pass plan is right for you. You can also check out what to know about upcoming Xbox game price hikes.