The is preparing to put the 2026 FIFA World Cup in front of audiences on a scale it says it has never attempted before, with 54 matches live on television and every one of the tournament’s 104 games available across its digital platforms. The tournament, which will be played by 48 teams across 104 matches, is set to be the biggest World Cup in history.
Sport will spread the coverage across TV, iPlayer, 5 Live, Sounds, the Sport website and app, the Sport Football YouTube channel and social platforms, while also offering live match streaming, second-screen watch-alongs and instant post-match reaction. For the first time, it will also provide always-on World Cup coverage across YouTube, TikTok and social channels, bringing fans closer to the action throughout the day.
Alex Kay-Jelski, who leads Sport, said the broadcaster is turning the biggest World Cup in history into what he called its most iconic yet. He said the aim is to bring fans closer to every match, every moment and every story, and added that football’s ability to unite people means the service will be pushing out live games and a constant flow of content all day, every day, across its platforms.
That push goes beyond straight match coverage. Sport said it will also offer immersive VR experiences following every England and Scotland match, a sign that the broadcaster is treating the tournament as both a live sports event and a multi-platform production designed to keep pace with how fans now watch and share football. The described the plan as its most ambitious World Cup yet.
The coverage takes on added weight in Scotland, where Louise Thornton said the national team is back on football’s biggest stage after 28 years. She said it is a thrilling moment that will bring pride and excitement across the country, and that Scotland’s sport teams will cover every kick and talking point of the campaign across television, radio and online.
Thornton said the Scottish output will not stop at match reports and analysis. It will also include comprehensive news coverage, documentaries on the big names and moments, and comedy aimed at the highs, lows and quirks of football fandom. The result is a package built to follow Scotland beyond the ninety minutes, with the broadcaster clearly betting that the story of the tournament will unfold as much between matches as during them.
The unanswered question is no longer whether the can cover a World Cup of this size. It has already answered that. What now matters is whether the broadcaster’s mix of live television, digital streams, social video and VR can hold the attention of fans through a month in which 48 teams will play 104 matches and every major moment will arrive everywhere at once.
