BBC confirms World Cup presenting coverage
The BBC has confirmed its plans for coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The BBC has confirmed its plans for coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The BBC will broadcast 54 matches live on TV, but audiences will be able to follow all 104 matches across the BBC’s digital platforms. Across TV, iPlayer, 5 Live, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website & app, the brand-new BBC Sport Football YouTube channel and across socials, BBC Sport will deliver an unrivalled, unmatched and uninterrupted World Cup experience that audiences can’t find anywhere else.
Alongside live match coverage and expert analysis across TV, radio and the BBC Sport website and app, FIFA World Cup 2026 marks a major evolution in how audiences experience the tournament digitally.
For the first time ever, BBC Sport will deliver always-on World Cup coverage across YouTube, TikTok and social channels - from live match streaming, 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.
Audiences can also expect on the ground storytelling and insight from across the host nations, alongside cutting-edge technology designed to bring fans closer to the action than ever before. Real-time graphics, advanced on-screen analytics and instant tactical breakdowns will create a richer, more interactive and more immersive World Cup experience for audiences across the UK.
And that’s just the beginning...
How to follow the FIFA World Cup 2026
From Thursday 11 June, BBC Sport will bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 to audiences across more platforms than ever.
With 54 matches live on BBC TV and iPlayer in stunning UHD, extensive live coverage across BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds, and live pages for all 104 matches on the BBC Sport website and app, the BBC will deliver a truly comprehensive live tournament experience throughout the summer.
BBC Scotland Sport’s teams also follow every kick of the ball across all platforms as the national team returns to the World Cup.
For the first time, audiences will also be able to watch the build-up and the opening 10 minutes of many of the tournament’s biggest matches and all the BBC’s home nations fixtures live across BBC Football’s YouTube and TikTok channels - expanding access to World Cup coverage for digital-first audiences wherever they are.
Across television, audio, digital and social platforms, BBC Sport will be the home of the summer’s biggest football moments.
Follow live on TV and BBC iPlayer
The blockbuster schedule of live TV matches includes England’s group stage meeting with Ghana and England’s knockout games in the round of 32, round of 16 and semi-final, if they progress, along with Scotland’s opener and final group match against Haiti and Brazil respectively. Fans can also enjoy a packed schedule of heavyweight group fixtures on the BBC featuring Argentina, France, Brazil, Spain, Germany and more. As the competition heats up, there are fixtures from every knockout round plus the final on Sunday 19 July.
Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott front BBC Sport’s TV coverage throughout the tournament. Broadcasting from BBC Sport’s home in Salford, a brand new, state of the art immersive studio will transport viewers to 16 cities across three host nations – Canada, Mexico and the USA.
They’re joined by an unrivalled line up of football royalty, including former England stars Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Micah Richards, Joe Hart, Paul Robinson, Steph Houghton, Ellen White and Danny Murphy.
In the ground at matches and at the heart of the England and Scotland camps, Kelly Somers and Eilidh Barbour bring viewers the latest news, reaction and behind-the-scenes access throughout the tournament.
World-class commentary comes from Guy Mowbray, Steve Wilson, Steve Bower, Jonathan Pearce, Robyn Cowen, Steven Wyeth and Liam McLeod, with Alan Shearer, Danny Murphy, Stephen Warnock, Efan Ekoku, Martin Keown, Sue Smith, Rachel Corsie, James McFadden and Paul Robinson providing expert co commentary. Alternative BBC Radio 5 Live commentary will also be available on selected BBC TV fixtures whilst an Audio Description service (AD) will be made available for the first time on all TV Live games to assist the blind or partially sighted community.
In Scotland, the excitement kicks off on 6 June when Scotland take on Bolivia in New Jersey for the final warm-up match before the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026. BBC One Scotland and iPlayer have live coverage as audiences get the chance to see how the team is shaping up.
Follow live on Radio and BBC Sounds
Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman join Steve Crossman to lead BBC Radio 5 Live’s World Cup coverage. Across the tournament, the team will bring listeners 92 live commentaries and coverage of all 104 matches, powered by some of the most trusted and respected voices in the game.
Commentary is led by John Murray, Ian Dennis, Alistair Bruce Ball, Vicki Sparks and Jonathan Pearce, alongside expert analysis from Chris Sutton, Dion Dublin, Paul Robinson, Pat Nevin, Sue Smith, Clinton Morrison, Rachel Corsie and Efan Ekoku. Former internationals Conor Coady, Steph Houghton and Kris Boyd are regular voices on England and Scotland matches, delivering insight and in depth analysis, while Olivier Giroud, César Azpilicueta, Thomas Frank and Gaël Clichy also feature as 5 Live’s World Cup team unpacks the tournament’s biggest talking points.
Alasdair Lamont is commentating on all of Scotland’s group matches for both 5 Live and BBC Radio Scotland, with Pat Nevin joining him in the commentary box for every game. Kenny Macintyre presents radio coverage with Sportsound on BBC Radio Scotland, joined by a range of guests.
There are live Scottish Gaelic commentaries of Scotland’s three group games on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC Sounds with commentary from Alasdair MacLennan.
Follow live Online
Follow the FIFA World Cup 2026 live on the BBC Sport website, app, YouTube & across social media
Fans can get even closer to every live BBC TV match through a new interactive 3D experience on the BBC Sport website and app. This innovative feature incorporates a new kind of technology for UK audiences which puts them in control. It allows viewers into the game to explore every angle, rewind key moments, switch cameras and watch tactics unfold in real time, powered by live data. A second screen option that offers deeper insight and even greater control.
Football 24/7
Football fever won’t stop at the final whistle, with BBC Sport delivering round-the-clock coverage throughout the tournament. From new digital first debate shows, instant post match analysis and must listen podcasts, to match highlights, an interactive predictor game and daily quizzes, fans can dive into the action whenever and however they want. Here’s everything you need to know.
Football 24/7: on BBC iPlayer and BBC Football YouTube
For audiences not ready for the conversation to end at full-time, BBC Sport has them covered. Every England and Scotland game rolls straight into instant reaction with BBC Sport’s top pundits breaking it all down, calling it how it is, and getting into the moments everyone’s debating.
Missed something? Or just want to relive it again (and again)? BBC Sport is dropping highlights from every single match so audiences are always across the moments that matter. Catch all the post-match reaction and highlights on BBC iPlayer, or dive in via the BBC Sport website and app.
And it doesn’t stop there... The brand new BBC Football YouTube channel is serving fresh content all tournament long. New voices, new shows, bold takes, behind-the-scenes energy and a different way to experience the game.
Find everything you’re looking for and more on BBC iPlayer’s Wold Cup page.
Football 24/7: on BBC Radio and BBC Sounds
Away from live match commentary, BBC Radio 5 Live sits right at the heart of the World Cup – capturing the colour, atmosphere and energy from the cities hosting the tournament.
Each morning from 6am, Rick Edwards broadcasts live from Los Angeles, unpacking the overnight drama and delivering the latest analysis from across the Atlantic. From 1pm-3pm, Mark Chapman and Steve Crossman take over live from the USA, building towards the evening’s action from the buzz and backdrop of a classic New York diner.
And when the final whistle blows on the biggest fixtures, 5 Live’s iconic 606 takes centre stage – the home of fast paced, fan driven debate, with the audience at its heart.
Podcasts
The Football Daily podcast continues to be the go to destination for football analysis, reaction and debate, and throughout the World Cup, fans can expect daily episodes on BBC Sounds, with visualised clips available on the BBC Football YouTube channel. Each morning, Rick Edwards teams up with comedian, actor and sports presenter Lloyd Griffith to break down the latest stories.
The Wayne Rooney Show drops twice weekly episodes throughout the tournament, where trio Wayne Rooney, Kelly Somers and Kae Kurd chat to the biggest names in football and react to the key moments on the pitch. All episodes are available to watch and listen to on iPlayer, Sounds and on the BBC Sport Football YouTube channel.
Everyone’s favourite Sunday league manager Steve Bracknall is getting involved with six World Cup specials of Games Gone: The Steve Bracknall Podcast, plus reaction to home nations games.
Jonathan Sutherland hosts a daily Scotland World Cup podcast on BBC Sounds, iPlayer and YouTube, with all the latest from the USA during the tournament.
On BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and Sounds sports podcast Spòrscast previews and dissects all of Scotland’s matches throughout the competition. Tadhal, a new informal and entertaining visualised podcast focusing on Scotland’s participation in the World Cup, is also available on BBC ALBA’s YouTube page.
Football 24/7: on the BBC Sport website, app and across social media
The BBC Sport website and app has teams of reporters both on the ground and in Salford bringing the biggest stories and talking points from across the tournament, all day, every day. England icon Alan Shearer brings on the ground perspective from inside the host cities, sports editor Dan Roan delivers the tournament’s most significant news stories, senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel provides exclusive updates from within England camp, and digital reporter Sam Harris captures the authentic fan experience - the passion, the energy, the exhilaration.