List of FIFA World Cup broadcasters

The FIFA World Cup was first broadcast on television in 1954 and is now the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world, exceeding even the Olympic Games.[1] 715.2 million individuals watched the final match of the 2006 tournament (representing 11 percent of the entire population of the planet). The 2006 World Cup draw, which decided the distribution of teams into groups, was watched by 300 million viewers.[2]

Asia

Bangladesh

Brunei

Cambodia

China PR

East Timor

Hong Kong

India

Indonesia

Iran

Japan

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Macau

Malaysia

Maldives

Myanmar

Nepal

North Korea

Pakistan

Philippines

Singapore

Sri Lanka

South Korea

Taiwan

Tajikistan

Thailand

Uzbekistan

Vietnam

Australia

Europe

Albania

Austria

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Czechoslovakia

Denmark

East Germany

Estonia

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Macedonia

Moldova

Montenegro

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Russia

SFR Yugoslavia

Serbia

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Soviet Union

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Over 100 nations have provided wall-to-wall coverage since the communications satellite launchings allowed for worldwide coverage beginning in 1966. European coverage of the World Cup has been extensive since 1954 (though with the World Cup held in Chile in 1962, much of the Euro coverage that year was tape-delayed).

Broadcast of the qualification for the World Cup Finals for England is currently held by ITV (terrestrial, home and away matches) with Sky holding rights for home and away matches for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These were previously held by the BBC but BBC have highlights of each home nation in their respective nation so BBC Scotland show Scotland highlights, BBC Wales show Wales highlights and BBC Northern Ireland show NI highlights.

However, coverage of the World Cup Finals is on a government mandated 'protected' list meaning it must be shown on free-to-air terrestrial television (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five) as opposed to satellite or cable television.[4] Although only one broadcaster is required, the two biggest terrestrial operators, the BBC and ITV, have always made a joint bid for coverage with broadcast of the Home Nations matches (particularly England) alternating between the broadcasters up to the later stages of the tournament. This is believed to prevent an extremely expensive bidding war for coverage between the two networks, with the current agreement running until the 2014 tournament.

Year Channel Commentators
2018 BBC
ITV
2014 BBC
ITV
2010 BBC
ITV
2006 BBC
ITV
2002 BBC
ITV
1998 BBC
ITV
1994 BBC
ITV
1990 BBC
ITV
1986 BBC
ITV
1982 BBC
ITV
1978 BBC
ITV
1974 BBC
ITV
1970 BBC
ITV
1966 BBC
ITV

West Germany

Notes

  • In the 2006 World Cup, ITV showed two of England's three group games, with the BBC showing one. However, the BBC would then have shown England through to the final, had they made it; this would have been on an exclusive basis for the round of 16 and the quarter finals (the latter being the round where England were actually eliminated), with coverage of the semi-final and final being shared with ITV.[5] The same method was used for the 2010 World Cup, where ITV showed the first two England games, and the BBC would have shown the next two, with England's semi final shared on both channels and the Final as well, but with England eliminated in the second round, the BBC instead had the first choice of the two quarter finals, and ITV the choice of a semi final and the third place match, with both channels showing the Final.
  • For the 2014 World Cup the BBC showed England's first match against Italy with ITV showing the other 2 matches against Uruguay and Costa Rica. BBC had first choice for the 2nd round while ITV had first choice quarter final so if England got to the Quarters, which they didn't, the match would have been exclusively live on ITV.
  • For the 2018 World Cup the BBC will show England’s first 2 games against Tunisia and Panama respectively with ITV showing the one remaining group stage match against Belgium. The BBC carried the quarterfinal with Sweden. ITV aired the semi-final against Croatia and the third-place play-off with Belgium.
  • ITV have had several sponsors over the years. For the 1990 World Cup, in one of the first sponsorship deals in British TV history, coverage was sponsored by National Power. Coverage of the 1994 World Cup was sponsored by electronics company Panasonic, whilst car company Vauxhall sponsored the 1998 World Cup. This was the first year actual idents were shown, as opposed to just the company logo, and featured comical exchanges between players dubbed over in suitable accents. Travelex sponsored their coverage of the 2002 World Cup, and would also go on to sponsor their coverage of the 2003 Rugby World Cup. For the 2006 World Cup, there were two sponsors for the first time - Budweiser and EDF Energy. The latter would, like Travelex, go on to sponsor the 2007 Rugby World Cup along with Peugeot. In 2010, Hyundai and Lucozade Sport were the sponsors, with Hyundai having a Car World Cup tournament, which was eventually won by Spain. The former's stings were narrated by Peter Brackley. The 2014 World Cup had three sponsors for the first time, Sony, Carling and Santander. Carling would have a brief spell of sponsoring England matches on ITV, replacing Continental Tyres before being replaced by Screwfix. 2018 also had three, with Budweiser, adopting their international campaign, Volkswagen, with a series of idents about a confident man getting 'England Champions 2018' tattooed onto him, and Screwfix, sponsors of England's Qualifiers and Friendlies, with puns on famous England players performed by customers.

Africa

Middle East and North Africa

Whole of Africa

Algeria

Burundi

Egypt

Ghana

Libya

Mali

Morocco

Namibia

Niger

Senegal

South Africa

Togo

Tunisia

North America

Canada

Mexico

United States

English-language television

Finals
Year Network Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Studio host(s) Studio analyst(s)
2026 FOX
2022
2018 John Strong Stuart Holden Rob Stone and Kate Abdo Alexi Lalas, Kelly Smith, Clarence Seedorf and Guus Hiddink
2014 ABC Ian Darke Steve McManaman Mike Tirico and Bob Ley Alexi Lalas, Santiago Solari, Michael Ballack, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Gilberto Silva, Alejandro Moreno, Taylor Twellman and Kasey Keller
2010 Martin Tyler Efan Ekoku Chris Fowler and Bob Ley Alexi Lalas, Steve McManaman and Ruud Gullit
2006 Dave O'Brien Marcelo Balboa Brent Musburger Eric Wynalda and Julie Foudy
2002 Jack Edwards Ty Keough Terry Gannon Eric Wynalda and Giorgio Chinaglia
1998 Bob Ley Seamus Malin Brent Musburger Eric Wynalda
1994 Roger Twibell Seamus Malin and Rick Davis Jim McKay Desmond Armstrong
1990 TNT Bob Neal Mick Luckhurst Ernie Johnson, Jr.
1986 NBC Charlie Jones Rick Davis and Paul Gardner Don Criqui Seamus Malin
1982 ABC Jim McKay Mario Machado and Paul Gardner Giorgio Chinaglia
1978 No coverage
1974 CBS David Coleman
1970 ABC Jim McKay
1966 NBC Jim Simpson

Notes

Other rounds

Year Network Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Reporters Studio host Studio analyst(s)
2026 FOX
FS1
2022
2018 FOX
FS1
FS2, FOX Deportes, & FOX Soccer Plus (replays only)
2014 ESPN
ESPN2
ABC		 Alexi Lalas, Steve McManaman, Michael Ballack, Alejandro Moreno, Kasey Keller, Gilberto Silva, Santiago Solari, Roberto Martínez, Taylor Twellman and Ruud van Nistelrooy
2010 Alexi Lalas, Jürgen Klinsmann, Ruud Gullit, Steve McManaman, Shaun Bartlett and Roberto Martínez
2006 Alexi Lalas, Eric Wynalda, Julie Foudy, and Heather Mitts
2002 Terry Gannon Eric Wynalda and Giorgio Chinaglia
1998 Brent Musburger Eric Wynalda
1994 Jim McKay (ABC only) Desmond Armstrong (ABC only)
1990 TNT Ernie Johnson, Jr.
1986 NBC Charlie Jones Rick Davis and Paul Gardner Don Criqui Seamus Malin
ESPN JP Dellacamera Seamus Malin and Shep Messing
1982 PBS Toby Charles
ESPN Bob Ley Seamus Malin
Notes
  • In 1982, PBS and ESPN provided the first thorough American television coverage of the FIFA World Cup. ABC aired the first live telecast of the final. ABC aired commercials during the live action. Meanwhile, PBS aired same day highlights of the top game of the day.
  • 1986 marked the first time that the World Cup had extensive live cable and network television coverage in the United States. ESPN carried most of the weekday matches while NBC did weekend games. To be more specific, NBC aired seven matches, including the "Hand of God" quarterfinal, with broadcasters on site. NBC's theme music for their 1986 coverage was Herb Alpert's "1980", from his 1979 album Rise. It was originally a cue meant for the ill-fated 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics broadcasts. Meanwhile, ESPN aired about 25 matches that year, all with broadcasters in studio.
  • In 1990, the World Cup was covered exclusively by cable television on TNT in the United States and had many features about the host country, Italy.
  • The 1994 American coverage had many firsts: The first with all of the matches televised, the first with no commercial interruptions during live action, and the first to feature an on-screen score & time box.
  • In 1998, all of the matches were televised in the United States live for the first time.
  • The 2002 American coverage was all live as well, with coverage from Japan and South Korea carried live in the American late night graveyard slot.
  • The 2006 coverage from Germany was fully live as well.
    • Dave O'Brien joined Marcelo Balboa on the primary broadcast team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup coverage on ESPN and ABC Sports, despite having no experience calling soccer matches prior to that year. Because The Walt Disney Company, owner of both television outlets, retained control over on-air talent, the appointment of O'Brien as the main play-by-play voice was made over the objections of Soccer United Marketing, who wanted JP Dellacamera to continue in that role. Disney stated that their broadcast strategy was intended, in voice and style, to target the vast majority of Americans who do not follow the sport on a regular basis. Mispronunciation and incorrect addressing of names, misuse of soccer terminology, and lack of insight into tactics and history plagued the telecasts, resulting in heavy criticism from English-speaking soccer fans, many of whom ended up watching the games on Univision instead.[6][7]
  • The 2010 coverage from South Africa introduced ESPN 3D for 25 matches.
  • The 2014 coverage was available on mobile devices and tablets via the WatchESPN application, as well as on Xbox 360 and Xbox One video game consoles, live and on-demand, via the ESPN on Xbox Live application.
  • Starting in 2018, coverage will be available on connected TVs, mobile devices, tablets, and Xbox One console via the FOX Sports app.

Spanish-language television

Year Network Play-by-play Color commentator(s)
2026 Telemundo
Universo
NBCSN (certain matches, simulcast)
2022
2018 Andrés Cantor
Sammy Savdonik
Copán Álvarez
Erasmo Provenza		 Manuel Sol
Carlos Hermosillo
Eduardo Biscayart
Tab Ramos
Claudio Borghi
Juan Pablo Ángel
Juan Pablo Sorín
Diego Forlán
Viviana Vila
Teófilo Cubillas
Jesús Ramírez
Sebastián Abreu
Horacio Elizondo (rules analyst)
2014 Galavisión
UniMás (Telefutura; 2002–2014)
Univision
UDN (2014 only)
2010
2006
2002
1998 Andrés Cantor Norberto Longo
1994 Andrés Cantor Norberto Longo
1990 Andrés Cantor Norberto Longo
1986 SIN Tony Tirado Norberto Longo and Jorge Berry
1982 SIN (used Televisa's (Mexico) feed) Gerardo Pena
1978 Tony Tirado Enrique Gratas
1974 Tony Tirado
1970 Tony Tirado
Notes
  • From 2002 to 2010, José Luis Chilavert joined Pablo Ramirez and Jesus Bracamontes on the booth during the Univision broadcast of the FIFA World Cup Final match.
  • Starting in 2018, coverage will be available on connected TVs, mobile devices and tablets via NBC Sports and Telemundo Deportes' En Vivo apps respectively, and on home devices and video game consoles such as the Xbox One, PS4, and Roku via the NBC Sports app.

Central America

Costa Rica

El Salvador

Guatemala

Honduras

Nicaragua

Panama

Dominican Republic

South America

Argentina

Brazil

Chile

Colombia

Ecuador

Perú

Paraguay

Uruguay

Venezuela

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Facts and figures – FIFA World Cup™". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. May 27, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  2. ↑ Socceroos face major challenge: Hiddink, ABC Sport, December 10, 2005. Retrieved May 13, 2006.
  3. ↑ News, Taiwan (19 June 2018). "How to watch the World Cup in Taiwan | Taiwan News". Taiwan News. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  4. ↑ "Free-to-air TV sport reconsidered". BBC News. 2008-09-26.
  5. ↑ "BBC - Press Office - BBC and ITV agree plans for World Cup 2006 coverage". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  6. ↑ Fatsis, Stefan. "Fans Say ESPN's World Cup Coverage Deserves Penalty," The Wall Street Journal, Wednesday, July 5, 2006.
  7. ↑ "Sports Media Watch: Decade in Review: 10 worst personnel moves". sportsmediawatch.blogspot.com. Retrieved 17 August 2018.

Sources

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