UK TV coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will cause further disruption for the country’s three biggest soaps across BBC and ITV in week commencing 22 June.
Eastenders will air entirely on BBC One in the week commencing 22 June unlike the previous week, with the first trip to Walford that week scheduled for 8:30pm BST on Monday 22 June, following BBC’s coverage of Argentina’s Group J clash against Austria (6pm BST kick-off).
Eastenders’ episodes across 23, 24 and 25 June will air in its normal 7:30pm slot, with all four episodes scheduled to have usual 6am release on BBC iPlayer.
Emmerdale and Coronation Street meanwhile will again broadcast a pair of hour-long episodes and single 30-minute editions across that week on ITV.
Their first hour-long editions are scheduled for 8pm and 9pm on 22 June, followed by 30-minute editions on Tuesday 23 June at 9pm and 9:30pm respectively against BBC’s coverage of England’s second Group L match against Ghana.
It isn’t the first time that both ITV soaps directly clashed with an England World Cup match, having previously been broadcast directly against England’s final group match against Wales at the 2022 edition, which the Three Lions comfortably won on that occasion.
Neither Emmerdale or Corrie will air on Wednesday 24 or Friday 26 June due to ITV’s coverage of World Cup matches, meaning that the second hour-long editions will air at 8pm and 9pm on Thursday 25 June.
Full details of schedule disruption for all three soaps can be found below.
Emmerdale (ITV)
Thursday 11 June – No Episode
Friday 12 June – 8pm (60 minutes)
Monday 15 June – 8pm (60 minutes)
Tuesday 16 June – 8pm (60 minutes)
Wednesday 17 June – No Episode
Thursday 18 June – No Episode
Friday 19 June – 8pm (30 minutes)
Monday 22 June – 8pm (60 minutes)
Tuesday 23 June – 9pm (30 minutes)
Wednesday 24 June – No Episode
Thursday 25 June – 8pm (60 minutes)
Friday 26 June – No Episode
Coronation Street
Thursday 11 June – No Episode
Friday 12 June – 9pm (60 minutes)
Monday 15 June – 9pm (60 minutes)
Tuesday 16 June – 9pm (60 minutes)
Wednesday 17 June – No Episode
Thursday 18 June – No Episode
Friday 19 June – 8:30pm (30 minutes)
Monday 22 June – 9pm (60 minutes)
Tuesday 23 June – 9:30pm (30 minutes)
Wednesday 24 June – No Episode
Thursday 25 June – 9pm (60 minutes)
Friday 26 June – No Episode
Eastenders
Monday 15 June – 7:30pm (BBC2)
Tuesday 16 June – 7:30pm (BBC2)
Wednesday 17 June – 8:30pm (BBC1)
Thursday 18 June – June – 8:30pm (BBC1)
Monday 22 June – 8:30pm (BBC1)
Tuesday 23 June – 7:30pm (BBC1)
Wednesday 24 June – 7:30pm (BBC1)
Thursday 25 June – 7:30pm (BBC1)
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