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BBC and ITV defend scrapping traditional World Cup highlights show as UK fans fume

British broadcasters BBC and ITV have opted against scheduling a traditional late-night or morning highlights programme for the 2026 World Cup, pushing fans to streaming apps instead — a decision that has sparked widespread frustration online.

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BBC and ITV defend scrapping traditional World Cup highlights show as UK fans fume
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BBC and ITV have defended their choice not to air a traditional highlights show for the 2026 World Cup, instead directing UK fans to their respective streaming platforms as the tournament’s North American kick-off times push matches deep into the early hours.

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from supporters who expected a Match of the Day-style programme to catch up on overnight action. Mexico opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over South Africa, while South Korea came from behind to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in a match that kicked off at 3am UK time — the kind of fixture many fans had hoped to find neatly packaged on television the following morning.

“Have I got this right? The BBC and ITV don’t have a morning or afternoon MOTD style highlights show of FIFA World Cup games we’ve missed through the night? Diabolical,” one supporter wrote on X. Another added: “There should absolutely be an 8/9am show with highlights from the previous night. It would do numbers. Only needs to be half an hour.”

A BBC spokesperson said the corporation is producing highlights accessible “at whatever time suits” fans, available on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app, and across social media. The statement pointed to the time difference as the central logistical challenge, with matches finishing at unpredictable hours. The broadcaster added that live games and highlights will also appear on ITV’s linear channel alongside its social platforms.

In practice, that means fans must seek out individual match highlights on BBC iPlayer or ITVX rather than sitting down to a curated broadcast package. The BBC’s rollout also hit an early stumble when viewers noted that, while the score was withheld, the thumbnail for the Mexico highlights inadvertently revealed the three red cards shown during the match.

The World Cup continues with Canada facing Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto and the United States taking on Paraguay, with the final scheduled for 19 July.

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