I may be a little premature here but as most of you are probably aware, the FIFA World Cup 2014 kicks off in Brazil on the 12th of July and I'm already super excited about it. Brazil are currently favorites to win followed by Argentina, Germany, Spain and Italy. England are currently 28-1 which might be worth a punt. Since over 31 countries will be competing in the qualifying stages, I think it would be useful to have some decent iOS or Android apps to keep track of all the action. For this reason I'd like to start a discussion on the best World Cup 2014 apps, not just for Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy but also for iPhone, iPad or Windows Phone also. Here are the type of apps I would be interested in downloading. Live Streaming - Are there any apps that will allow me to watch the games for free on my phone? I will be working during many of the matches but I'd still like to be able to tune in and watch some of the action. World Cup Betting Apps - Which betting apps offer the best odds, promotions and offers? A good live In-Play betting section will also be important. News, Live Scores & Statistics - If I want to be able to quickly check the qualifying tables and get up-to-the-minute scores and results, which soccer app would you recommend? Team Information - Are there any quality World Cup apps that give compete profiles of every team and player competing in the Brazilian World Cup? Souvenir - It would be nice if a special magazine type app was developed for tablets that could be kept as a memento of the greatest sporting event in the world. Well this is my wish list. I look forward to reading your recommendations
Great questions Don. I'm sure a bunch of other World Cup apps will be released over the coming weeks but here are our recommendations at the moment. OFFICIAL FIFA WORLD CUP 2014 APP There are a ton of unofficial World Cup apps available for iOS, Droid and Windows Phone but only one official app and that's from FIFA. The FIFA app will provide a schedule for each match and offer in-dept profiles of every World Cup team, player and manager. The free app will feature interviews, team news and video replays. You will also get up-to-the-second live scores from every game and the latest table rankings during the qualifying stages. Did we mention the app was free? FIFA Official iPhone World Cup App - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/fifa/id756904853?mt=8 FIFA Official Android World Cup App - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fifa.fifaapp.android WORLD CUP BETTING APPS CARBON SPORTS (U.S. CITIZENS WELCOME) The USA hosted the World Cup for the first time in 1994. Since then soccer (as they call it) has become increasingly popular. The US team have qualified again for the Brazil world cup so there is bound to be plenty of interest in the tournaments. We've looked at all the current U.S. friendly bookmaker apps and we've concluded that Carbon Sports Mobile is head and shoulders above the rest. Besides having the best design, it also has the widest selection of World Cup betting options. Besides a comprehensive sports betting section, Carbon Mobile also features horse racing, Texas Hold'em poker and casino games. Click Here to read our full review. BET365 MOBILE (NOT US FRIENDLY) - WWW.BET365.COM The Bet365 sports betting app sets the standard that every other bookie follows when it comes to mobile betting . For instance, they were offering live streaming of football games via their app over two years before anyone else. Besides being able to watch World Cup games for free on your iPhone, Samsung Galaxy or Nokia Lumia, their app will also offers live audio commentary of every game so you won't need to miss a second of the action. A wide range of free bet offers and money back specials will also be running to coincide with the tournament in Brazil. Click Here for the full review. WORLD CUP LIVE VIDEO STREAMING APPS Since the WC tournament only rolls around every 4 years, many sports fans don't want to miss a single game or goal. Thanks to improvements in mobile network coverage and speeds, this will be the first World Cup that will be widely broadcast on smartphones and tablets. In the United Kingdom both the BBC and ITV will be streaming live games and replays via their mobile apps. Here is our pick for the best live streaming app for both iOS and Android. If anybody else has any other suggestions, please let us know. FILMON FREE LIVE TV FilmOn broadcast hundred of TV channels live from the US, UK, France, Germany, Asia, Canada, Australia and dozens of other countries from around the world for free. Regardless of what team you are following, you should be able to find a TV station broadcasting their game via the FilmOn app. WORLD CUP NEWS, INTERVIEWS & ANALYSIS ESPN FC SOCCER & WORLD CUP - iTUNES - GOOGLE PLAY - WINDOWS PHONE This was a tricky decision because there are literally hundreds if not thousands of different apps offering WC 2014 news from Brazil. In the end we opted for the ESPN app because they are the largest sports broadcasting network in the world so it stands to reason they would have greater access to players and managers than anyone else. Since ESPN are also the official WC broadcasting network in the United States, they will also be providing video highlights from many of the games. If you are only interested in a particular team you can personalize the app so that you only receive updates, live scores, results, opinion and news on Mexico, Spain, England, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Brazil or any other national team.