What do headphones have to do with football? Shouldn't we be recommending you the best TVs for the World Cup, or at the very least, the best songs?
Those things are important, for sure, but a good pair of headphones could in fact make or break your summer of soccer in ways you hadn't previously considered.
What if you need a decent pair of cans to listen to those late-night games in private while the rest of the household is silently snoozing? What if you're following along on the radio, or on the move with your phone? What if you just want a good excuse to upgrade your headphones this summer, especially with Christmas being another six months away?
That's why we've compiled this handy rundown of the headphones, be they wired or wireless, that will help you get the most out of this summer's biggest sporting event. After all you don't just watch the football – you hear it.
SoundMagic E11C
The Soundmagic E11C are ideal World Cup wired earbuds for a couple of reasons.
For starters, they're 3.5mm ended, meaning that you can plug them directly into a radio, such as the portable Roberts Revival Petite 2, and follow all of the action without disturbing anyone else in the house.
Second, they're inexpensive. At around £35 at the time of writing, you're getting a pair of extremely competent wired in-ears for a very reasonable outlay, so that even if you only end up using them for World Cup listening and nothing else, you'll still have got your money's worth.
Finally, if you do end up using the E11C beyond July 19th's final, you'll have got yourselves an excellent pair of in-ears which blend clarity and entertainment to terrific effect. Plus, you'll be keeping up with the times – you know wired headphones are so hot right now?
Røde NTH-100
If you don't really get on with in-ear headphones but you still want a pair of wired cans for enjoying the football, the Røde NTH-100 are the next logical choice.
Like the E11C, they're 3.5mm-ended, facilitating a straight connection with compatible radios, laptops and other audio sources that may be beaming the football. They're also immensely comfortable and easy to get along with thanks to their Alcantara earpads, so it's unlikely that you'll feel fatigued by the time those 90 minutes are up.
Most importantly, the Røde NTH-100 are excellent budget over-ear headphones, and at around £110 / $130, you're getting immense quality for a very modest outlay. If you're in the market for great wired cans, the 2026 World Cup is your perfect excuse to snap up a set of multiple-Award-winners.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)
While it was tempting to choose the Sony WF-1000XM6 or the Technics EAH-AZ100 over the flagship QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra (2nd Gen) as the best premium wireless earbuds, Bose's flagship buds do have a few tricks up their sleeve which make them ideal for following the football.
For a start, their noise cancelling is the best in the business, making them ideal for getting fully immersed in the games you're following – video or audio-only – without being distracted by the pesky outside world.
If you don't want to use pure noise cancelling, you can also give your QC Earbuds Ultra a quick tap to active 'Immersive Audio' to give your games a more cinematic, atmospheric flavour.
They're also some of the comfiest and most secure-fitting flagship buds around, and that makes them ideal for following the footie on the go. It's also a big bonus if you're someone who likes to fall asleep to the football (oh, those late night games) and don't want your precious buds making a break for freedom while you snooze.
Sennheiser Momentum HDB 630
If you're going to get yourself a set of World Cup headphones, you might as well go the whole hog and do things properly.
With that in mind, the Sennheiser HDB 630 are leading the charge as far as premium wireless over-ears are concerned. Their detail-rich sound is deeply impressive, especially when bolstered by the use of the cans' clever USB-C dongle for granting immediate aptX Adaptive powers, while their generously padded ear cushions make for a hugely comfortable fit.
They're also useful courtesy of the fact that the headphones offer both a 3.5mm and a USB-C termination for wired listening, meaning you've got a range of options, both wired and wireless, for how you tune in to the footie.
Sony WF-C710N
As a pair of reasonably cheap and incredibly cheerful pair of wireless earbuds for keeping up with the cup, nothing really comes close to the Sony WF-C710N.
Our current Award-winners in their given price class, the WF-C710N are just so good at squeezing out maximum levels of performance across every metric that really matters. They sound great, they're comfortable to wear, they're laden with features – including around 30 hours of battery life and excellent ANC – and they're built to last.
Our recommendation? Get them for the World Cup and then keep them forever.
MORE:
The headphones World Cup: from Beats to Bose, which audio brands are winning over football's elite?
What's better for a World Cup TV – size or quality?
Best wireless earbuds 2026: 7 sensational pairs reviewed and rated by our experts
