BBC and ITV World Cup line-ups leaked, featuring two former Premier League managers
British TV channels ITV and BBC are gearing up for this summer’s World Cup by bringing in some big names, including two former Premier League managers who are currently out of work, plus a World Cup winner.
With the 2026 World Cup kicking off in less than a month, things are starting to come together. On Monday (May 11), the teams submitted their preliminary 55-player squads to FIFA. Meanwhile, the tournament organizers and broadcasters are busy getting ready for what will be the biggest World Cup ever, with 48 teams playing 104 matches across the US, Mexico, and Canada.
Good news for fans: unlike regular football, you’ll be able to watch the World Cup for free on ITV and BBC.
ITV’s coverage will be led by Laura Woods and Mark Pougatch, broadcasting from a studio in Brooklyn. On the BBC side, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan, and Kelly Cates will present shows from Salford, at least until the quarter-finals.
According to The Guardian, ITV’s expert panel includes Ian Wright, Roy Keane, Gary Neville, Andros Townsend, and Ange Postecoglou, who previously managed Celtic, Spurs, and Nottingham Forest.
On the BBC, former Spurs manager Thomas Frank will join pundits Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart, Alan Shearer, and Olivier Giroud, a 2018 World Cup winner who used to play for Chelsea and Arsenal. Giroud is still France’s top scorer with 57 goals, although Kylian Mbappé, with 56, might overtake him if he plays in the tournament.
ITV will show England’s first game against Croatia on June 17, their final group game against Panama, and the quarter-finals if England make it that far. The BBC will air England’s second group match against Ghana on June 23, plus the knockout rounds: round of 32, round of 16, and the semi-finals if England gets there.
Both ITV and BBC will broadcast the final on July 19, so fans won’t miss a moment of the big event!