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How you can watch the Women’s World Cup Final in Germany

The final of the Women's World Cup final will be held on Sunday with England and Spain battling it out to be crowned world champions. Here's how you can watch the match in Germany.

Published: 28 July 2023 16:16 CEST
Updated: 20 August 2023 08:36 CEST
Germany scores a goal against Morocco in their opening match.
Germany scores a goal against Morocco in their opening match. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sebastian Gollnow

Since England beat Germany to the trophy in the nail-biting finale of last year’s European Championships, football fans around the world have been eagerly awaiting this year’s Women’s World Cup.

On July 20th, it finally arrived – and it’s been a thrilling tournament so far, with England and Spain fighting their way to Sunday’s final. 

Though coverage of women’s football has traditionally been patchy, things have been changed a lot in recent years.

But fans in Germany still had to wait until days before the start of the tournament to discover that most of the matches would be broadcast for free in the country.

READ ALSO: Germany’s once fearsome World Cup reputation in tatters

Where to watch the Women’s World Cup Final?

On July 15th, German broadcasters ARD and ZDF announced that they would between them be broadcasting all the major World Cup matches between July 20th and August 20th.

ARD and ZDF have each had broadcasting rights to a different stage of the tournament, with ARD broadcasting the third-place playoff between Sweden and Australia and ZDF broadcasting the final. 

ZDF matches can be watched on the ZDF channel on your television or online on their live sports stream here. 

ARD matches can be watched on the Das Erste channel on your television or live-streamed here on ARD Mediathek.

European champions England score a goal against Denmark in their first group match

European cup holders England score a goal against Denmark in their first group match. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/AAP | Dan Himbrechts

Third place play-off Saturday, August 19th 

10am Sweden vs Australia (ARD)

World Cup Final, Sunday, August 20th

12noon Spain vs England (ZDF)

What about public viewings?

One of the greatest joys of watching World Cups in Germany (when they run in the summer, that is) is gathering outdoors at what the Germans describe as “public viewings”.

READ ALSO: Eight signs summer has arrived in Germany

A map of public viewing locations in Berlin can be found on the state website here – and there are plenty to choose from around the city. Elsewhere in the country, things may be a little more patchy, but we recommend stopping by your favourite football in the neighbourhood and asking if they’ll be showing the matches.

Otherwise, parks, beer gardens and open-air cinema locations tend to be a relatively safe bet – especially for the major matches. 

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LIVING IN GERMANY

How to make the most of Germany’s long summer days

In Germany the sun sets late and rises early in the summer months. The Local's reporters share their favourite activities for taking advantage of the long hours of daylight.

Published: 20 June 2024 17:02 CEST
Updated: 21 June 2024 15:29 CEST
How to make the most of Germany's long summer days

Germany doesn’t quite get to see the “midnight sun” – how’s it going up there Norway? – but it is located far enough north to enjoy rather long days during the late spring and summer seasons.

The summer solstice, called Sommersonnenwende in German, marks the longest day and also the beginning of the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere.

In the town of Flensburg, which is near Germany’s northern border with Denmark, the sun sets at 10:06 pm and rises at 4:41 on the summer solstice, amounting to approximately 17 hours and 24 minutes of daylight.

Central and southern German cities get a little less daylight, but still enjoy late night sunsets and early morning sun rises. Berlin, for example, gets 16 hours and 50 minutes of daylight on the solstice. Munich gets just over 16 hours of light on the longest day.

Especially for people who moved to Germany from more southerly latitudes, watching the sunset at 10 pm or noticing the sky lighten at four in the morning can be a surreal experience.

But of course the flip side of long days in the summer are long nights in the winter, giving you all the more reason to take advantage of all the light while you can.

Here’s a few things to do with your extra daylight hours during the German summer:

Add outdoor sports to your ‘Feierabend’ routine

Germans place a high value on work-life balance, and this is perhaps best seen in the importance placed on the Feierabend, or your after-work time.

READ ALSO: Why every country should get on board with the German Feierabend

During the winter having a dinner date, or more simply a Feierabendbierchen, are the main after-work activities that come to mind. But during Germany’s long summer days, you still have plenty of daylight left to go skating in the park, or enjoy a bicycle tour of the city, even if you work until 6 pm or later.

sunset jog

Jogging, biking and other sports are all possible after work during Germany’s long summer days. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Peter Kneffel

Some people really take advantage of the extended light – using that extra time for physical activities that they might not otherwise get to do during work days. It’s not uncommon to see people stand-up paddle boarding on the river, or rock climbing, late into the evening in the summer.

Go for an early morning stroll

Germany’s early morning sunrises can be a bit of a controversial topic.

For the early birds, they offer an opportunity to get ahead of the day before your work day or other obligations begin. For the night owls who currently lack shutters, they can be an unwelcome wake-up call.

But with the sky lightening as early as 4:30 am, whether you’ve freshly woken up, or are heading home after a long night out, you may want to consider taking advantage of a unique opportunity for a morning walk. 

Especially for those who tend to sleep in, an early stroll can allow you to see the world anew – complete with birdsongs in the air and the smell of freshly baked bread wafting out of local bakeries.

Enjoy some of Germany’s summer events and festivals

The summer season is a good one for outdoor events and festivals in Germany, and especially in June and July, attendees can add a catching a late evening sunset to a fest day’s itinerary.

There are a number of festivals worth checking out in June in Germany, including some events scheduled for the longest day itself, such as this solstice celebration in Conneforde or Fête de la Musique in Berlin.

A couple others worth mentioning are the Tollwood Summer Festival in Munich or the Rose and Light performance night in Frankfurt’s Palm Garden.

Stay tuned for a list of July events we’ll be sharing soon.

Catch a film at an open air cinema

Germany loves open air cinemas – it’s home to hundreds of them – and a mid-summer eve is really the best time to experience one.

To find an outdoor theatre near you, try searching for ‘Freiluftkino’ + your city name. 

But be sure to keep languages in mind while looking over screening programs. If you don’t yet have the German skills to enjoy a movie auf Deutsche, you’ll want to look out for films marked OV (original version), OmU (original version with German subtitles) or OmeU (orginal version with English subtitles). 

an open air cinema

Spectators watch a film at the open-air cinema in Oranienburg Castle Park at dusk. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jens Kalaene

Watch (or play) some football

This year, you have the added option of watching Euro 2024 football games – often late into the evening – until July 14th.

Of course watching football is something you can always enjoy in the comfort of your own home. But this year you can join in the real-world frenzy that is the UEFA Euros Championship outside at one of the official fan zones, or otherwise at your favourite beer garden, späti or sports bar with outdoor seating.

This has the added benefit of allowing you to watch the game, while also taking in a the summer breeze.

And if watching Die Mannschaft score a couple goals is particularly inspiring, you might still have enough light to head to your local park and kick a ball around after.

Take a wild dip in refreshing waters

Summer in Germany is often accompanied by at least a few heatwaves: a string of hot, sticky days when temperatures soar and it’s tempting to just stay indoors.

In warm weather, though, there’s nothing quite like venturing out to a picturesque lake or a beach along Germany’s rugged coastline and taking a wild dip.

Though you can’t expect temperatures as warm as the Mediterranean sea, that’s part of the charm: bathing in cool, refreshing waters is the ideal medicine for lethargy during those sweltering summer afternoons. 

There are a range of studies that show that outdoor swimming is good for the soul – not to mention great for your health. From releasing mood-enhancing endorphins to boosting immunity and improving cardiovascular health, it’s no wonder wild swimming is known as one of the best natural highs around. 

READ ALSO: ‘Go early and stay late’ – Your tips for making the most of Germany’s lakes

With reporting by Imogen Goodman

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