FIFA World Cup 2026: How to watch on TV, BBC iPlayer, and ITV X and follow across Radio, BBC Sounds and BBC Sport online
- GRNDSTND
- 3 days ago
- 9 min read
BBC and ITV set mark six decades of co-presenting UK coverage of the FIFA World Cup
The wait is almost over. The FIFA World Cup 2026 is about to begin - bigger, bolder and more iconic than ever before. With 48 teams competing across a record breaking 104 matches, this is the largest World Cup in history and a tournament set to redefine the global game before a ball has even been kicked.
The BBC is broadcasting 54 matches live on TV, but audiences can 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. 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.
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. Representing Scotland are Scott Brown, Rachel Corsie and James McFadden, while World Cup winner Olivier Giroud, Gaël Clichy, César Azpilicueta, Benni McCarthy, Ashley Williams and Thomas Frank add global insight and international edge. Former international referee Darren Cann completes the team, bringing expert analysis from the heart of the game.
On 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.
Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 live on TV and BBC iPlayer
Our 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.
The games are among the 54 matches being broadcast live on the BBC and on BBC iPlayer.
Follow FIFA World Cup 2026 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 is bringing listeners 92 live commentaries and coverage of all 104 matches.
And 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.
FIFA World Cup 2026 live online
You can also follow the FIFA World Cup 2026 live on the BBC Sport website, app, YouTube and across social media.
Supercharging how fans experience the tournament, BBC Sport is live streaming build-up and the opening 10 minutes of its biggest matches on BBC Football’s YouTube and TikTok channels for the first time ever - giving audiences more ways to follow the action live, wherever they are.
How to watch and follow the World Cup Opening Ceremonies across BBC and ITV
This summer’s World Cup spans three host nations, and each will stage its own opening ceremony ahead of its first match.
Mexico opens the tournament on Thursday 11 June, before their match against South Africa, with ITV's live coverage kicking off at 6.15pm. Mark Pougatch, Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ian Wright look ahead to the prestigious tournament. The opening ceremony will take place in Mexico’s iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, which is set to become the first ever stadium to host action across three separate World Cups, and was the venue for both Pele and Diego Maradona to lift the legendary trophy.
Canada follows on Friday 12 June, ahead of their game with Bosnia-Herzegovina. The USA hosts its ceremony on Saturday 13 June, before facing Paraguay. All ceremonies begin 90 minutes before kick-off, with both matches and ceremonies live on BBCiPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.
England World Cup 2026 Match Schedule
Group Stage (Group L)
17 June - England vs Croatia – Kick Off 9pm BST LIVE ON ITV 1 and ITV X, 8pm
Listen on Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds and follow across the BBC Sport website and app
23 June - England vs Ghana – Kick Off 9pm BST LIVE ON BBC ONE
Watch on TV and BBC iPlayer, listen on Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds and follow across the BBC Sport website and app
27 June - Panama vs England – Kick Off 10pm BST, LIVE ON ITV 1 and ITV X
Listen on Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds and follow across the BBC Sport website and app
Scotland World Cup 2026 Match Schedule
Group Stage (Group C)
14 June - Haiti vs Scotland - Kick Off 2am, LIVE ON BBC ONE, 1.10am
Watch on TV and BBC iPlayer, listen on Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC Sounds and follow across the BBC Sport website and app
19 June - Scotland vs Morocco - Kick Off 11pm BST, LIVE ON ITV 1 and ITV X, 10.30pm
Listen on Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC Sounds and follow across the BBC Sport website and app
24 June - Scotland vs Brazil - Kick Off 11pm BST, LIVE ON BBC ONE, 10.30pm
Watch on TV and BBC iPlayer, listen on Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC Sounds and follow across the BBC Sport website and app
Full World Cup 2026 Group Stage TV Schedule
Date Kick Off (BST) Match Broadcaster
11 June 8pm Mexico v South Africa ITV
12 June 3am South Korea v Czech Republic ITV
12 June 8pm Canada v Bosnia-Herzegovina BBC
13 June 2am USA v Paraguay BBC
13 June 8pm Qatar v Switzerland ITV
13 June 11pm Brazil v Morocco BBC
14 June 2am Haiti v Scotland BBC
14 June 5am Australia v Turkey ITV
14 June 9pm Netherlands v Japan ITV
15 June 12am Ivory Coast v Ecuador BBC
15 June 3am Sweden v Tunisia ITV
15 June 8pm Belgium v Egypt BBC
15 June 11pm Saudi Arabia v Uruguay ITV
16 June 2am Iran v New Zealand BBC
16 June 5pm France v Senegal BBC
16 June 11pm Iraq v Norway BBC
17 June 2am Argentina v Algeria ITV
17 June 5am Austria v Jordan BBC
17 June 6pm Portugal v DR Congo BBC
17 June 9pm England v Croatia ITV
18 June 12am Ghana v Panama ITV
18 June 3am Uzbekistan v Colombia BBC
18 June 5pm Czech Republic v South Africa BBC
18 June 8pm Switzerland v Bosnia-Herzegovina ITV
18 June 11pm Canada v Qatar ITV
19 June 2am Mexico v South Korea BBC
19 June 8pm USA v Australia BBC
19 June 11pm Scotland v Morocco ITV
20 June 2am Brazil v Haiti ITV
20 June 5am Turkey v Paraguay ITV
20 June 6pm Netherlands v Sweden BBC
20 June 9pm Germany v Ivory Coast ITV
21 June 1am Ecuador v Curacao BBC
21 June 5am Tunisia v Japan BBC
21 June 5pm Spain v Saudi Arabia ITV
21 June 8pm Belgium v Iran ITV
21 June 11pm Uruguay v Cape Verde BBC
22 June 2am New Zealand v Egypt ITV
22 June 6pm Argentina v Austria BBC
22 June 10pm France v Iraq BBC
23 June 1am Norway v Senegal ITV
23 June 4am Jordan v Algeria ITV
23 June 6pm Portugal v Uzbekistan ITV
23 June 9pm England v Ghana BBC
24 June 12am Panama vs Croatia BBC
24 June 3am Colombia v DR Congo ITV
24 June 8pm Bosnia-Herzegovina v Qatar ITV
24 June 8pm Switzerland v Canada ITV
24 June 11pm Morocco v Haiti BBC
24 June 11pm Scotland v Brazil BBC
25 June 2am Czech Republic v Mexico BBC
25 June 2am South Africa v South Korea BBC
25 June 9pm Curacao v Ivory Coast BBC
25 June 9pm Ecuador v Germany BBC
26 June 12am Japan v Sweden BBC
26 June 12am Tunisia v Netherlands BBC
26 June 3am Paraguay v Australia ITV
26 June 3am Turkey v USA ITV
26 June 8pm Norway v France ITV
26 June 8pm Senegal v Iraq ITV
27 June 1am Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia ITV
27 June 1am Uruguay v Spain ITV
27 June 4am Egypt v Iran BBC
27 June 4am New Zealand v Belgium BBC
27 June 10pm Croatia v Ghana ITV
27 June 10pm Panama v England ITV
28 June 12.30am Colombia v Portugal BBC
28 June 12.30am DR Congo v Uzbekistan BBC
28 June 3am Algeria v Austria BBC
28 June 3am Jordan v Argentina BBC
Full details of channels and coverage to follow, along with the split of matches for the knockout stage - BBC and ITV will both broadcast the final Live
ITV Sport’s FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage will be led by Mark Pougatch, Laura Woods and Semra Hunter, as they are joined by a star studded line-up of the very best football pundits, presenters, commentators and reporters.
The full list of pundits bringing you all of the action live from ITV’s studios in Brooklyn, New York includes; Roy Keane, Ian Wright, Gary Neville, Patrick Vieira, Karen Carney, Ange Postecoglou, Juan Mata, Emma Hayes, Duncan Ferguson, Jobi McAnuff and Bradley Wright-Phillips.
Commentary will be led by Sam Matterface, Jon Champion, Seb Hutchinson and Joe Speight. Co-commentary is provided by Lee Dixon, Ally McCoist, Andros Townsend and Lucy Ward.
ITV reporters on the ground will be Gabriel Clarke and Connie McLaughlin. Christina Unkel will return to ITV as the Referee Analyst to provide insights into the biggest refereeing decisions across the tournament, as well as the big VAR calls.
Adam Richman, of Man v Food fame, will co-present alongside Semra Hunter in ITV’s Brooklyn studio. A special section of the studio will serve as a third eye on the tournament, examining all of the biggest World Cup social and cultural moments. Adam will be joined by celebrity guests and is set to bring his unique broadcasting perspective on the world's greatest tournament.
Daniyal Khan will be ITV Sport’s social reporter, out and about on the streets of New York, offering a flavour of the tournament on the ground. From the stands to the sidewalk, he'll be exploring everything from the underground fan culture of the five boroughs to the fashion, music and latest match news defining the FIFA World Cup 2026.
ITV will kick off the tournament with the first two matches including one of the host nations, Mexico v South Africa, live from Mexico City at 8pm (UK) on ITV1, ITV4, ITVX, STV and STV Player. ITV will air 34 group-stage matches including England’s first match of the tournament against Croatia live from Dallas, kicking off at 9pm (UK) on Wednesday 17th June, England’s final group-stage match against Panama, kick off 10pm (UK) on 27th June and Scotland’s group-stage match against Morocco, 11pm (UK) on 19th June.
Produced by ITV Sport Production, ITV will broadcast live from New York City for the duration of the tournament, and will have three of the top picks for the Quarterfinal stages of the tournament including the first two picks, plus five of the top nine picks of the round of 32. ITV Sport will also air the first matches of the tournament for current World Champions Argentina, and key footballing nations Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. The final will be shown live on both ITV and BBC.
Live games and highlights will be broadcast on ITV, providing a comprehensive coverage package and content across ITV Football’s social platforms including X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, ensuring fans will not miss a single minute of the action.
'Inside The World Cup' is a new digital series available on X and ITVX that offers an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at the FIFA World Cup, following England and other competing nations throughout the tournament. Combining exclusive in-camp interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and raw match day coverage. The series will bring fans closer to the emotion, intensity and stories shaping the world’s biggest sporting event.
ITVX will bring a comprehensive package of World Cup coverage and footballing highlights to quench the appetite of the biggest football fans. ITVX will provide full video on demand of all ITV matches, highlights of all matches across ITV and BBC, and a rail of constantly-updating short-form content including camp reports, big moments and interviews.
ITVX will also be home to ‘World Cup: Full Time’, featuring the best of Daniyal’s reports and creator-led content direct from the streets of NYC. ITVX is also launching a World Cup 24/7 Channel featuring 40 classic World Cup matches, FIFA World Cup: Stories From The Cities - a 16-part series from FIFA exploring each host city - and FIFA World Cup Preview - a 12-part series from FIFA covering each team's route to the tournament.
Content courtesy BBC Press Centre and ITV Press Centre
Comments