BBC confirms England vs DR Congo World Cup tie will air on BBC One after scheduling confusion

The BBC has moved to quash fears that England’s 2026 World Cup round-of-32 tie against DR Congo would be sidelined by Wimbledon, confirming the match will be available on BBC One as well as iPlayer.

England, having topped their group, face DR Congo on Wednesday at 5pm. The problem was that Wednesday’s slot sits squarely in the middle of prime-time Wimbledon coverage — The Championships having opened on Monday — leaving viewers uncertain which event would take precedence on the corporation’s flagship channels.

The confusion was amplified when television listings, as of Monday morning, still showed only Wimbledon scheduled across BBC One and BBC Two, with no mention of the football. Viewer @WelsbyElton voiced the concern on X: “I sincerely hope I’m wrong here but as far as I can see England vs DR Congo on Wednesday at 5pm is on BBC iPlayer. The two main channels are showing Wimbledon. It’s not ITV’s turn to show England. Surely they must alter the schedules. If not it is scandalous.”

The BBC responded directly, stating: “Happy to reassure you that this game — and all Round of 32 BBC matches — can be watched on BBC One and/or BBC iPlayer.”

The broadcaster attributed the misleading listings to schedules not yet having been updated rather than any editorial decision to demote the match. Wednesday’s Wimbledon order of play, which covers second-round matches, had not yet been confirmed at the time of the confusion.

The scheduling headache arrives at a sensitive moment for the BBC. Reports have emerged that the All England Club has urged the corporation to raise the standard of its Wimbledon coverage, with the implication that the broadcasting rights to tennis’s most prestigious tournament could be at risk if it fails to do so. Balancing that pressure against a live England World Cup knockout tie underlines the competing demands the BBC faces across its summer sports portfolio.