How to watch World Cup 2026 in the UK: TV channels, kickoff times and pubs
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Which channel — BBC or ITV?
All 104 matches are free-to-air in the UK. BBC and ITV share the rights equally and split the matches between them, with the final shown on both. There is no subscription or pay-per-view component — if you have a TV licence, you can watch every game. BBC matches also run on iPlayer, ITV matches on ITVX, and BBC Radio 5 Live carries audio commentary.
UK kickoff times — and the late-night problem
The tournament is played across the US, Mexico and Canada, so UK kickoff times skew late. Evening kickoffs in North America land late at night here — 53 of the 104 matches kick off in overnight hours for UK viewers (23:00–07:00). The earliest matches start at 17:00 UK time.
The full schedule in UK time is on the BST schedule page, and today's matches updates daily during the tournament.
England's group fixtures in UK time
| Match | Date | UK kickoff |
|---|---|---|
| England vs Croatia | Wed 17 Jun | 21:00 BST |
| England vs Ghana | Tue 23 Jun | 21:00 BST |
| Panama vs England | Sat 27 Jun | 22:00 BST |
Watching in a pub
Matches kicking off late in the evening run past standard closing time, so pubs need an extended licence to show them — not every venue will carry the late games. We track venues showing World Cup matches across 20 UK cities — start with London, Manchester or Glasgow, or browse all cities. If you know a pub showing the games, you can submit it there too.
Streaming and on the move
BBC iPlayer and ITVX stream every match live for free (UK only, TV licence required for live TV). Both have apps on phones, tablets, smart TVs and consoles. For radio, BBC Sounds carries 5 Live commentary.
Key fixtures for UK fans
- Opening match — Mexico vs South Africa, Thursday 11 June at 20:00 BST
- England's group games — 17 Jun, 23 Jun, 27 Jun (all 21:00 BST or later)
- The final — Sunday 19 July at 20:00 BST, on both BBC and ITV