THE 10 worst places in the UK to stream the World Cup have been revealed – with football fans urged to check their broadband speed.
Millions of viewers risk watching the games “through a buffering screen”.
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The worst places in the UK to stream the World Cup have been revealed Credit: Alamy
Football fans risk watching the games “through a buffering screen” Credit: Getty
With more than 30 million UK fans set to tune in for the World Cup this summer, speedy broadband is vital to ensure not a single goal is missed.
However, new data from Uswitch.com has revealed a broadband divide over the country, meaning some fans could be left with a buffering screen while trying to watch the games.
The World Cup will be shown on BBC One or ITV1 this summer, but matches can also be viewed on their streaming sites, iPlayer and ITVX.
For 4K streaming on sites, Uswitch.com says that the recommended speed required is 25Mbps.
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For fans below that threshold, connection issues may arise when multiple devices tune into the same bandwidth for a match.
Parts of the South West, Scotland and Wales could see the worst delays, as their broadband speed often falls below the recommendation.
10 worst places to stream the World Cup in the UK:
Including the percentage ready for screening
Kirkwall (Scotland) – 70.1 per cent
Llandrindod (Wales) – 73.2 per cent
Perth (Scotland) – 73.3 per cent
Truro (South West) – 73.4 per cent
Exeter (South West) – 75.0 per cent
Aberdeen (Scotland) – 75.1 per cent
Dumfries (Scotland) – 76.6 per cent
Shrewsbury (Wales border) 76.7 per cent
Torquay (South West) – 77.0 per cent
Plymouth (South West) – 77.3 per cent
Uswitch broadband expert, Max Beckett, said: “Millions of fans risk watching this summer’s football through a buffering screen rather than a clear picture.
“In parts of the South West and Scotland in particular, broadband simply isn’t keeping pace with the streaming demand a tournament of this size creates.”
Beckett recommends checking your broadband speed before kick-off and consider upgrading if your area has slower average speeds.
You can also try limiting the number of devices streaming at one time and taking them off the Wi-Fi during games.
