The BBC has confirmed its plans and full broadcast line-up for World Cup 2026.
This summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, which kicks off on Thursday 11 June and runs until the final on Sunday 19 July, will be bigger than ever before after the expansion to 48 teams.
All 104 matches will be broadcast on free-to-air TV in the UK, with 54 of those live on the BBC, including England’s Group L game against Ghana and knockout games in the round of 32, round of 16, and semi-final, should they progress, as well as Scotland’s Group C matches against Haiti and Brazil.
Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott will host the coverage from Salford, in “a brand new, state-of-the-art immersive studio” that will “transport viewers to 16 cities across three host nations”.
They’ll be joined by a roster of pundits, including World Cup winner Olivier Giroud as well as Micah Richards and Alan Shearer, who are also covering the tournament with Gary Lineker on The Rest Is Football on Netflix.
Alongside that trio, BBC’s pundits for World Cup 2026 include Wayne Rooney, Micah Richards, Joe Hart, Paul Robinson, Steph Houghton, Ellen White, Danny Murphy, Scott Brown, Rachel Corsie, James McFadden, Gaël Clichy, César Azpilicueta, Benni McCarthy, Ashley Williams, Thomas Frank and former international referee Darren Cann.
Familiar voices like Guy Mowbray, Jonathan Pearce and Robyn Cowen will lead the commentary teams across the TV broadcasts, while its extensive radio coverage – 92 live commentaries and coverage of all 104 matches – will feature the iconic tones of John Murray and Ian Dennis, as well as a host of others.
Beyond TV, radio, and online, where there will be live pages for all 104 matches on the BBC Sport website and app, the BBC believes World Cup 2026 will mark “a major evolution in how audiences experience the tournament digitally”.
In a first, the broadcaster will “deliver always-on World Cup coverage across YouTube, TikTok and social channels”.
The BBC’s plans include showing the build-up and first 10 minutes of many of the tournament’s biggest matches on YouTube and TikTok, as well as “alternative second screen watch-alongs and instant post-match reaction to interactive technology, new digital first shows and immersive VR experiences following every England and Scotland match”.
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“The BBC is turning the biggest World Cup in history into the most iconic one yet,” said BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski.
“We’re bringing fans closer to every match, every moment and every story than ever before. Sport truly unites people like nothing else, especially football, so we can’t wait for fans to enjoy not just the live matches with us but an abundance of football content, all day, every day across our platforms.
“Whether it’s our new series on YouTube, the biggest news stories on the ground, our daily podcasts on Sounds or the viral moments on social media – we’re here for audiences 24/7 this summer, taking them straight to heart of the World Cup.”
World Cup 2026 gets under way on Thursday 11 June. The first of 54 matches live on BBC TV and BBC iPlayer is Canada v Bosnia & Herzegovina at 8pm on Friday 12 June.
Check out more of our Sport coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
