The BBC is facing significant criticism over unprecedented plans to cover some matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup remotely from its studios in Salford, Manchester, in a bid to control spiralling costs.
A Cost-Cutting Measure for a Mega Tournament
The 2026 tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the largest ever, featuring an expanded lineup of 48 teams and matches spanning multiple time zones. With some games kicking off as late as 2am BST, BBC planners are wary of dedicating limited resources to less popular fixtures involving smaller nations like Uzbekistan, Curaçao, and Haiti.
While the broadcaster will have commentators and pundits on the ground in the US for major games—including all matches involving the home nations—it is considering having its teams cover lower-demand games from its MediaCityUK base. This marks a stark departure from past decades, where commentators were sometimes flown to stadiums even for games they weren't covering to gain familiarity.
Commentators Decry Loss of "Vivid" Stadium Experience
The proposal has drawn fire from industry veterans who argue it fundamentally undermines the quality of broadcast coverage. Clive Tyldesley, ITV's former lead commentator, stated unequivocally that "There is not a commentator in captivity that would not prefer to be in the stadium."
He explained that being present allows commentators to convey the excitement, mood, and temperature of the game, which is "amplified at a World Cup." Commentating remotely off a screen, he argued, is more difficult and less accurate, as the commentator is entirely dependent on the director's camera choices and cannot choose their own focus.
Financial Pressure and Streaming Competition
This radical plan is the latest attempt by the BBC to adapt to a sustained decline in the real-terms value of the licence fee, which has fallen by about a third since 2010. The logistical challenges of the 2026 event are immense, with matches spread across a huge geographical area, making a central US hub difficult and travel costs prohibitive.
As traditional broadcasters grapple with budgets, streaming giants are moving aggressively into the sports space. In a notable development, Gary Lineker—the BBC's former highest-paid star who left earlier this year—has signed a deal with Netflix. The streaming service will host his podcast, The Rest is Football, from a daily base in New York throughout the tournament.
Lineker had been slated to front the BBC's 2026 coverage before his departure, which followed his apology for reposting online material containing antisemitic imagery. His Netflix deal underscores the shifting landscape of sports media, where the battle for audience attention is fiercer than ever.
