How to live stream Japan vs Qatar 2019 AFC Asian Cup Final online

The 2019 AFC Asian Cup is nearing its completion and sadly the Socceroos won't be defending their title. They're out, but you can still stream the AFC finals live with a free trial.

Australia won the AFC Asian Cup at the last time of asking, with the Socceroos defeating South Korea 2-1 in the 2015 decider. It was the first title for Australia and healed the scars of 2011, when the Socceroos lost to four-time champions Japan in the final.

Japan is now seeking a fifth title in the AFC Asian Cup Final as it takes on unlikely underdogs Qatar on Feb 2.

The 2019 AFC Asian Cup is being held in the United Arab Emirates, which, as the crow flies, is more-or-less on the exact opposite side of the planet. The final, for example, airs at 1am on Australia's eastern coastline. Doh! As a result, if you want to keep on top of it all, an easy-to-access mobile live sports streaming option is the go.

Ideally, one that offers on-demand replays so you can catch up on the games you've missed while legging it into work the following morning.

Foxtel holds the broadcast rights in Australia for this year's Asian Cup and will broadcast every game of the tournament live. Games can be viewed live or on demand and there is additional programming as well. This includes highlights, reviews, chat shows and historical games.

There are 4 ways you can watch the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and 3 ways you can stream it. You can find a full comparison table of all your sports streaming options on our hub page, but here is a quick comparison.

Option 1: Kayo Sports

• $25 per month, 14-day free trial

The new kid on the block is Kayo Sports. It is a sport-specific live streaming app, available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Telstra TV, in browsers and Chromecast. It offers 13 of Foxtel's 20 sports channels (Fox Sports x 8, ESPN x 2, beIN Sports x 3: those are the good ones, although Eurosport would be nice). It broadcasts in HD and has some fantastic, live sports streaming features. Our experience with it so far has been exemplary and you can see our live review in the video at the top of this page.

Option 2: Foxtel IQ

• $60 per month, no free trial

The traditional pay TV experience, with a set-top box installed in your lounge room. As well as the invasive and sometimes costly (depending on the deal at the time) installation of the box, in order to watch HD sport through this service you need to buy the Pop and Lifestyle Pack, the HD Pack and then the Sport Pack. It costs $60 per month. The benefit of the current IQ4 box is that (assuming you have a 4K TV and the sport is broadcast in 4K ) you can watch sport in 4K. You also get access to all 21 sports channels (Fox Sports x 8, ESPN x 2, beIN Sports x 3, EuroSport, Sky Racing x 3, Racing.com and Premier League club channels x 3).

Option 3: Foxtel Go

• $60 per month, no free trial

Foxtel Go is the live sports streaming app that you get as part of your Foxtel IQ purchase. It comes with the same pros and cons as Foxtel IQ but loses the pros of 4K and a set-top box you can record to. It is available through iOS and Android devices.

Option 4: Foxtel Now ($54 per month, 10-day free trial)

• $54 per month, 10-day free trial

The Foxtel Now service is a crossover product that gives you the flexibility of enjoying Foxtel as a straight streaming service or through your TV via a stripped-back set-top box (no 4K, no recording, $100 one-time cost). Like its bigger brother, in order to live stream sport, such as the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, you need to get the Lifestyle and Pop Pack first, then add in the Sport pack. However, you don't have to add in the HD pack. While the app is ok, the set-top box is notoriously prone to crashing and best avoided. The app is available through iOS, Android, some Smart TVs (Sony, Samsung, LG), PC, Mac, Chromecast, Xbox and PlayStation.

Without a doubt, if you want to live stream the Asian Cup, Kayo Sports should be the choice of any football fan. The app works really well, is available on a host of devices and has excellent sports viewing features. The free trialis easy to sign up to, giving you a chance to watch most of the Asian Cup for free before you decide whether to commit. But even then, there is no-lock-in contract. You could effectively watch the entire tournament for $25.

The AFC Asian Cup is not being broadcast in 4K, which takes away one of Foxtel IQ's biggest advantages over Kayo. If you have a 4K TV, then it must be said watching sport in 4K is truly impressive. So, it is something to consider when looking at your overall live sports consumption over the life of your subscription. Foxtel IQ still gives you the option to stream sport thanks to the Foxtel Go app. But we suspect for most of you, it isn't worth the leap in price.

It will be a fascinating final. Japan, the four-time AFC Asian Cup Champions, taking on Qatar, representing a nation with a population half that of Sydney. Both teams are in form. Japan smashed Iran 3-0 in the semi-final, while Qatar put the United Arab Emirates to the sword. The team that knocked out Australia went down by four to zip!

The AFC Asian Cup Final between Japan and Qatar can be watched on Kayo Sports or Foxtel, and is on at the following times.