World Cup 2026 TV Schedule: Which Matches Are on BBC and ITV?

The biggest World Cup in history is here: all 104 matches, completely free to watch, split across BBC and ITV throughout the summer.

Confirmed in an official joint press release published by ITV's Press Centre on 10 December 2025, BBC Sport and ITV Sport will once again share UK broadcast rights across the tournament, which runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026. Every single match is available without a subscription, on TV via BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, and ITV4, and online through BBC iPlayer and ITVX. For the first time, the tournament expands to 48 nations and 12 groups, making channel selection more important than ever for fans building their summer viewing schedule.

The Deal Behind The Broadcast Split

The rights arrangement covering both the 2026 and 2030 editions of the FIFA World Cup was confirmed by FIFA directly on its official website, inside.fifa.com. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström said the deal with BBC and ITV would 'provide strong platforms in the UK to reach the widest audience possible'.

ITV takes 29 group-stage matches; the BBC carries the remaining 25. Both broadcasters will simulcast the final on 19 July at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a tradition that has held since the partnership began at the 1966 tournament on home soil. ITV will broadcast live from New York City for the tournament's duration. The BBC, according to reporting by The Independent, plans to cover a portion of fixtures remotely from its Salford base, with commentators working off-tube.

Niall Sloane, ITV's Director of Sport, said in the official press release: 'The Men's FIFA World Cup 2026 is the biggest World Cup in history, showcasing the very best football talent from around the globe. We are proud to broadcast the FIFA World Cup here at ITV and ensure it stays free-to-air for the UK audience to enjoy all summer.' Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport, added: 'We can't wait to bring you the FIFA Men's World Cup 2026. From England knockout games live on BBC One and iPlayer to Scotland's crunch matches with Haiti and Brazil to glamour games featuring Messi, Mbappé, Ronaldo, Yamal, Salah, Haaland and more, we will bring you the drama and analysis of the moments that matter.'

Where To Watch England And Scotland

England fans will need to be comfortable switching channels throughout the group stage. ITV holds the rights to England's opening fixture against Croatia in Dallas, kicking off at 21:00 BST on 17 June, and their final group match against Panama, starting at 22:00 BST on 27 June. The BBC takes England's second group game, against Ghana, at 21:00 BST on 23 June. Should England advance into the knockout rounds, the BBC is scheduled to show their clashes in the Round of 32, Round of 16, and at the semi-final stage.

Scotland supporters face similarly split viewing. The BBC carries both Scotland's opening game against Haiti, which kicks off at 02:00 BST in the early hours of 14 June, and their final group clash with Brazil at 21:00 BST on 24 June. ITV and STV will show Scotland's second group match, against Morocco, at 23:00 BST on 19 June. STV and STV Player will carry selected fixtures for Scottish audiences throughout the tournament.

Big Nations, Late Nights And The North America Factor

Beyond the home nations, the broadcast split reads like a deliberate effort to balance major fixtures between the two channels. ITV secured the opening matches of current world champions Argentina, who face Algeria at 02:00 BST on 17 June, as well as Germany's opener against Curaçao at 18:00 BST on 14 June, the Netherlands against Japan at 21:00 BST on the same evening, and Spain's first outing against Cape Verde at 17:00 BST on 15 June. Portugal's group fixture against Uzbekistan at 18:00 BST on 23 June also lands on ITV. The BBC counters with France v Senegal at 20:00 BST on 16 June, USA v Paraguay at 02:00 BST on 13 June and Canada's opening match at 20:00 BST on 12 June, a nod to the tournament's North American co-hosts.

The North American time zones create a scheduling challenge unlike any World Cup in recent memory. Because matches are staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico, UK kick-off times are clustered between 17:00 and midnight BST for the evening fixtures, but a significant number of games, particularly those scheduled for the US West Coast, will kick off between 01:00 and 05:00 BST. Both broadcasters have acknowledged this, with Kay-Jelski noting in the ITV press release: 'For the ones you can't stay up for, don't worry, we will have you covered the next morning too.' The BBC's highlights and catch-up offering on iPlayer, and ITV's equivalent on ITVX, will be the main refuge for fans who cannot manage a 3am alarm.

The expanded format also means more matches than before land simultaneously. On 24 June, ITV will broadcast Canada v Switzerland and the Play-off A v Qatar fixture in a simultaneous 20:00 BST kick-off slot, a feature of the new 48-team structure that pushes both broadcasters to manage multiple live streams and editorial decisions at once.

Knockout Rounds, The Final And Where To Stream

The Round of 32 begins on 28 June. ITV has five of the top nine picks at that stage, while the BBC secures three of the top five picks for the Round of 16. England's pathway, if they progress, is mapped largely across BBC One, with the Round of 32, Round of 16 and semi-final all scheduled for the corporation's flagship channel.

The final, on 19 July, will be shown simultaneously on both BBC One and ITV1. Streaming is available throughout on BBC iPlayer and ITVX, both free to access with a registered account. Sky Sports and TNT Sports hold no rights to this tournament whatsoever, meaning any viewer who does not have a terrestrial aerial can still watch every match legally and free of charge online.

Every match of this summer's tournament is free; bookmark this guide, set your alarms and follow all 104 games.