BBC have unveiled their 2026 FIFA World Cup coverage plans across TV and Radio.
TV coverage will be fronted by Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott live from Salford, with the broadcaster having opted to remain at home initially as part of cost-cutting exercises and the fact that the tournament is spread across Canada, Mexico and USA.
Although the tournament will commence on 11 June, ITV have coverage of the opening two matches meaning that BBC’s live TV coverage will commence on 12 June with Canada’s opening Group B match against Bosnia & Herzegovina and will run until 19 July when they broadcast the final alongside ITV.
BBC will have highlights shows airing throughout the tournaments with timings to be confirmed closer towards transmission.
England icons, Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney head up the punditry line-up, with Joe Hart, Paul Robinson, Micah Richards, Steph Houghton, Ellen White and Danny Murphy also included.
Scott Brown, Rachel Corsie and James McFadden will also form part of the punditry as Scotland play at their first World Cup since 1998.
Shearer, Murphy, Corie, McFadden and Robinson will also be co-commentators across the tournament, alongside; Stephen Warnock, Efan Ekoku, Martin Keown and Sue Smith.
Ex Tottenham and Brentford manager, Thomas Frank will bring a managerial perspective to the punditry as the headline international name, despite Denmark having failed to qualify for the tournament.
2018 World Cup winner, Olivier Giroud alongside Gael Clichy, Cesar Azpilicueta, Benni McCarthy and Ashley Williams will also bring their insight, whilst ex international referee – Darren Cann will provide refereeing analyst on key decisions throughout the tournament.
Kelly Somers and Eilidh Barbour will be on-site with England and Scotland camps respectively across the tournament.
Guy Mowbray leads BBC’s commentary team alongside Steve Wilson, Steve Bower, Jonathan Pearce, Robyn Cowen, Steven Wyeth and Liam McLeod, with McLeod acting on lead commentator on BBC’s coverage of Scotland matches.
BBC will also Radio 5 Live commentary on selected BBC TV fixtures, whilst Audio Description service will be made available on every TV match to support blind or partially sighted viewers.
Across on radio, Cates and Chapman will share lead presenter duties alongside Steve Crossman, with live commentaries of 92 matches across the tournament on 5 Live.
Robinson, Corsie, Houghton, Smith and Ekoku will be providing expert analysis alongside Chris Sutton, Dion Dublin, Pat Nevin, Clinton Morrison, Conor Coady and Kris Boyd.
Pearce will be involved in radio commentary too alongside Vicki Sparks, Alistair Bruce Ball and Ian Dennis as John Murray heads 5 Live’s commentators.
Giroud, Azpilicueta, Clichy and Frank will also feature on select radio coverage to help analyse major talking points.
Alasdair Lamont will provide commentary on every Scotland match for both 5 Live and BBC Radio Scotland alongside Nevin, whilst Kenny Macintyre will present coverage of Sportsound on BBC Radio Scotland with a variety of guests.
BBC will provide Scottish Gaelic commentaries of Scotland’s three group matches on BBC Radio nan Gaidheal and BBC Sounds, with Alasdair MacLennan leading the commentary.
5 Live will also be based in America with Rick Edwards broadcasting live from Los Angeles at 6am BST to round up the overnight action and analysis, whilst Chapman and Crossman will share a 1-3pm slot to preview the evening’s action in New York.
5 Live’s 606 programme will follow the conclusion of major matches throughout the tournament, with listeners invited to have their say on the hot topics throughout the tournament.
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.
BBC’s online coverage will feature live text commentaries of all 104 matches, featuring in-game clips across matches also shown on BBC TV.
There will be further content available across BBC Sport’s social media channels, whilst build-up and the opening ten minutes of each match broadcast on BBC will be streamed on YouTube.
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