Technologies

Watch UEFA Nations League Final Soccer: Livestream Croatia vs. Spain From Anywhere

The Croatians aim for their first major international title as they face La Furia Roja in Sunday’s final.

Veteran superstar Luca Modrić will be hoping to lead Croatia to their first ever international title as they take on Spain in the final of this year’s UEFA Nations League today in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The Croatians claimed their spot in this showdown at the De Kuip Stadium after a thrilling extra-time win over the Netherlands in Wednesday’s semifinal.

Spain, meanwhile, edged past Italy on Thursday thanks to a late winner from late-blooming striker Joselu, and will be hoping to make amends for their defeat to France in the final of the 2021 edition of this tournament, which is UEFA’s secondary competition.

Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game live wherever you are in the world.

A Nations League 2023 winners medal laying on grass.

Croatia vs. Spain: When and where?

Spain play Italy at the De KuipStadium in Rotterdam, on Sunday, June 18. Kickoff is set for 8:45 p.m. CET local time in the Netherlands (7.45 p.m. BST in the UK; 2.45 p.m. ET or 11.45 a.m. PT in the US; and 4.45 a.m. AEST on Monday, June 19 in Australia).

How to watch the Croatia vs. Spain game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch the game — 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 game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if 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, UK and Canada, as long as you have 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.

Sarah Tew/CNET

ExpressVPN

Best VPN for streaming

ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 per month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription.

Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Livestream the Croatia vs. Spain game in the US

Sunday’s big match at the De Kuip Stadium will be available to stream on Fox Sports 1, which has live English commentary broadcast rights in the US for the UEFA Nations League final.

Sling/CNET

Sling TV Blue

Carries Fox Sports 1 with every remaining Nations League game in the US

Among the live TV streaming services that carry local Fox Sports 1, the cheapest is Sling TV Blue at $40 per month.

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

Livestream the Croatia vs. Spain match in the UK for free

The great news for football fans in the UK is that terrestrial free-to-air station Channel 4 will be showing Sunday’s final live in the UK. Coverage of this match starts at 7 p.m. BST.

All 4

Watch international soccer on Channel 4 for free

That also means you can stream the game for free via the Channel 4 website and the network’s All 4 app.

As well as being able to watch via a browser on your laptop, there are dedicated All 4 apps for the likes of Android, iOS, PlayStation, Xbox, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, plus a wide range of smart TVs.

Livestream the Croatia vs. Spain game in Canada

If you want to stream this game live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to DAZN Canada. The service has exclusive broadcast rights to every remaining Nations League game this season.

DAZN

Watch the Nations League Finals in Canada from CA$25 a month

A DAZN subscription currently costs CA$25 a month or CA$200 a year and will also give you access to a wide range of soccer, plus Six Nations rugby and WTA tennis.

As well as dedicated apps for iOS and Android, there’s a wide range of support for set-top boxes and smart TVs.

Livestream the Croatia vs. Spain game in Australia

Football fans Down Under can watch this match on streaming service Optus Sport, which is showing every single UEFA Nations League game live in Australia this season.

Optus Sport

Watch the Nations League in Australia from AU$7 a month

With exclusive rights to screen all remaining Nations League matches live this season, as well as Premier League, Women’s Super League and LaLiga games, streaming service Optus Sport is a particularly big draw for Aussie soccer fans.

If you’re already an Optus network customer you can bag Optus Sport for a reduced price, with discounts bringing the price down to as low as AU$7 per month. If you’re not, a standalone monthly subscription to the service starts at AU$25.

Quick tips for streaming the UEFA Nations League using a VPN

With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming Nations League matches 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

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, April 26

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 26.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword could be tricky. I, for one, did NOT know the country in which «the automobile, aspirin and the accordion were invented,» but as the other clues filled in, I figured it out. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Fancy party
Answer: GALA

5A clue: Five ___ (discount store chain)
Answer: BELOW

6A clue: Bottom stripe on a pride flag
Answer: PURPLE

7A clue: Bedtime outfit, informally
Answer: JAMMIES

8A clue: Task to «run»
Answer: ERRAND

9A clue: Actress Keaton of «Father of the Bride»
Answer: DIANE

10A clue: Car ride game
Answer: ISPY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Country in which the automobile, aspirin and the accordion were invented
Answer: GERMANY

2D clue: Mountain-related
Answer: ALPINE

3D clue: Was audibly amused, slangily
Answer: LOLED

4D clue: Really impresses
Answer: AWES

5D clue: Unfair reputation
Answer: BUMRAP

6D clue: Host of the 2024 Summer Olympics
Answer: PARIS

7D clue: «Warrior-monks who keep peace in the universe,» per George Lucas
Answer: JEDI

How to play more Mini Crosswords

The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

Technologies

Pope Francis’ Funeral: How to Stream Live or Watch the Replay

Here’s how to stream the pope’s funeral very early Saturday, and what you can expect to see during the service.

After a week of global mourning for Pope Francis, who died on Monday at age 88, the pope’s funeral will be celebrated on Saturday . Francis’ funeral will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. local time at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City (which is very, very early if you’re tuning in from the US or Canada), and he will be laid to rest at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.

The Vatican will be livestreaming the papal funeral and procession, though not the burial, on its YouTube channel as it happens. The funeral will also be televised live on CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox, as well as on streaming services like Disney Plus, Hulu, Peacock and Paramount Plus. Due to the time difference, it seems likely that many interested North American viewers will catch it when it’s replayed later on Saturday. Numerous networks will rebroadcast the service later that day.

If you choose to stay up, or get up early, here’s when the live broadcast of the pope’s funeral will air in your time zone in the continental US on April 26:

ET: 4 a.m.
CT: 3 a.m.
MT: 2 a.m.
PT: 1 a.m.

The papacy of Pope Francis was notable for the progressive reforms he brought to the Roman Catholic Church. He appointed more than half of the current College of Cardinals and attempted to foster more positive attitudes toward members of the LGBT community and migrants worldwide.

What to expect from the funeral

The funeral will follow many rituals, though not all traditional protocols will be followed. Most popes are buried in St. Peter’s Basilica or its grottoes, but the AP reports Francis chose the St. Mary Major Basilica to reflect his veneration of an icon of the Virgin Mary that is located there, the Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the People of Rome).

His funeral will be less elaborate than those of other popes per his own wishes. Francis simplified papal funeral rites last year, permitting his burial outside the Vatican, and emphasizing his role as a bishop rather than as pope (the pope is also the Bishop of Rome).

Previous popes were buried in three coffins: one of cypress, one of lead and one of oak. Francis requested to be buried in a single wooden, zinc-lined coffin and not to be placed in an elevated bier as other popes were.

The coffin will be taken from St Peter’s Basilica and placed on a dais in St Peter’s Square, where Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re will lead the service. After the service, the coffin will return to St Peter’s Basilica before it is carried across the River Tiber and to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major for burial. The ceremony is estimated to end around 2 p.m. local time, or four hours after it begins.

Pope Francis’ funeral Mass will be the first of nine Masses held daily at St. Peter’s until May 4. This is an ancient tradition of the Catholic Church that observes nine days of consecutive mourning. According to Vatican News, a different group of mourners will participate each day, though the Eucharistic celebrations are open to everyone.

Who will attend Pope Francis’ funeral?

Hundreds of people, including world leaders and royals, are expected to attend Pope Francis’ funeral.

US president Donald Trump confirmed on his Truth Social Platform that he and first lady Melania Trump will be at the funeral. This will be Trump’s first foreign trip in his second term. He is expected to have a seat in the third row, though the Vatican has yet to release an official seating chart. It is tradition for the first row of seats to go to Catholic royalty, and the second row to non-Catholic royals.

Prince William, who is attending on behalf of King Charles, will sit in the second row, which is reserved for non-Catholic royals. Former president Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, devout Catholics, will also attend the funeral.

Conclave: What happens next to choose the new pope

After Pope Francis’ funeral, the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church will vote on his successor in an assembly of cardinals known as a conclave.

There are many matters for the cardinals to settle before the conclave begins, but once it does, it can take days or even weeks to conclude. Two-thirds of the cardinals’ votes are required to elect the next pope. The conclave occurs behind closed doors and the vote tally is never made public.

Read more: Where to Watch Conclave, the Vatican Thriller About Electing a New Pope

Look for the white smoke

The ballots are burned after each round, and chemicals are added to the flames to produce black smoke if there’s no majority. When a new pope has been selected, the chemicals will be added to the flames so they produce white smoke. Crowds gather in St. Peter’s Square to watch for the results.

If you’re fascinated by the process, you can watch a dramatized version of the events in 2024 film Conclave.

In the movie, Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, who spearheads the election of the next pope while investigating rumors about potential candidates. The film is based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris and is completely fictional — though it does represent some of the events of how actual papal conclaves take place. In March, the film won the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.

You can stream Conclave on Amazon Prime Video, or rent it for $6 on Apple TV, Fandango at Home, YouTube or Google Play Movies.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 26, #685

Hints and answers for Connections for April 26, #685.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections puzzle features a lot of short words, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. That purple category requires a lot of thinking — probably most people will solve it only by solving the other three and having four words left over. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Rainbow.

Green group hint: San Fernando ____.

Blue group hint: Think Robert.

Purple group hint: Mixed-up hue words.