How BBC and ITV will cover every World Cup 2026 match for UK viewers

BBC and ITV will together provide UK viewers with highlights and on-demand coverage of every match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, splitting the 105-game tournament between them across their free-to-air platforms.

BBC’s World Cup coverage

The BBC will broadcast 54 live games and produce highlight packages for all of them. Each package will include goals, near-misses and key moments from the expanded 48-team tournament. Full-match replays and highlights will be available in Ultra HD (4K) on BBC iPlayer for compatible devices, while the BBC Sport website will host video clips, text commentaries and analysis accessible immediately after each game.

Post-match punditry will be delivered from the BBC’s hub in Salford, with presenters Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates leading discussions alongside tactical analysts.

ITV’s World Cup coverage

ITV holds exclusive live rights to 51 matches and will offer highlight reels for all games across the 39-day competition. Their coverage will include short-form clips of big moments, camp reports and player interviews.

The ITVX streaming app will host a dedicated World Cup hub featuring full video-on-demand replays and highlight clips for every match, alongside a “World Cup 24/7 Channel” and a behind-the-scenes digital series called “Inside The World Cup”. The ITVX website will also carry full-match catch-ups and tactical breakdowns.

ITV’s post-match punditry will be broadcast from an outdoor studio in Brooklyn, New York, with Roy Keane, Ian Wright and Gary Neville among those providing live analysis.

Social media extensions

Both broadcasters will distribute highlights and punditry clips through their official social media channels throughout the tournament. The ITV Sport YouTube channel is set to run a continuous stream of highlights, features and interviews across the competition.