How to catch the action on the BBC, which games will be aired and what you can expect from their coverage of the World Cup

As is tradition, the BBC will be broadcasting many matches in this World Cup. In all, they will screen 33 live fixtures across 28 days in Qatar. They willshare the entirety of the broadcasting schedule with ITV.

UK-based supporters will have free access to watch all the drama unfold, so long as they are covered by a TV licence.

Fans will also benefit from the flexibility of their streaming service, BBC iPlayer, with the option to watch live or later at their convenience.

In this article, we give you a breakdown of what to expect from the BBC over the coming weeks of football.

Which World Cup games will be shown on the BBC?

While an exhaustive list of matches is yet to be confirmed for the knockout rounds, 24 group-stage fixtures have been announced.

BBC will have the first pick of the semi-finals in the tournament, alongside three last-16 encounters, two quarter-finals, and the World Cup Final on December 18.

Here is the BBC’s World Cup group stage schedule.

DateFixtureTime (GMT)Nov 20Qatar 0-2 Ecuador4pmNov 21England 6-2 Iran1pmNov 22Mexico 0-0 Poland4pmNov 22France 4-1 Australia 7pmNov 23Belgium 1-0 Canada7pmNov 24Uruguay 0-0 South Korea1pmNov 24Brazil 2-0 Serbia7pmNov 25Qatar 1-3 Senegal1pmNov 26Tunisia 0-1 Australia10amNov 27Belgium 0-2 Morocco1pmNov 27Croatia 4-1 Canada4pmNov 27 Spain 1-1 Germany7pmNov 28South Korea 2-3 Ghana1pmNov 29Iran vs USA7pmNov 29Wales vs England7pmNov 30Tunisia vs France3pmNov 30Australia vs Denmark3pmNov 30Poland vs Argentina7pmNov 30Saudi Arabia vs Mexico7pmDec 1Canada vs Morocco4pmDec 1 Croatia vs Belgium4pmDec 2Ghana vs Uruguay4pmDec 2South Korea vs Portugal4pm

What will the BBC World Cup coverage be like?  

Match of the day mainstay and ex-England player Gary Lineker will serve as one of two lead presenters for the tournament. The other is Gabby Logan, who won broadcast sports presenter of the year in 2022. Match of the day 2 presenter, Mark Chapman, will also share hosting duties.

As always, the BBC will supplement the action on the pitch with a panel of some of the sport’s most iconic names as part of their pre and post-match analysis package.

Highlights of non-live fixtures will also be available on BBC One and iPlayer throughout the tournament.

The BBC Sport YouTube channel will also screen match highlights.

Aside from the live matches, fans can also expect documentaries, news coverage and podcasts.

To keep viewers up to date (that are on the move) pundits will provide behind-the-scenes content on BBC’s various social platforms.

There will be two of the aforementioned World Cup documentaries on show. One will document the prodigious talent of Lionel Messi and the other a deep dive into ‘how to win the World Cup’. You can view both programmes on BBC TV and via BBC iPlayer.

Which pundits will feature in BBC’s World Cup line-up?

BBC routinely pull some of the most well-known footballing stars out of the hat for World Cups. This tournament will be no different.

Joining Lineker, Logan and Chapman will be a whole host of former players. Alan Shearer, Rio Ferdinand, Jermaine Jenas, Micah Richards and Alex Scott with Danny Gabbidon, Ian Rush and Ashley Williams will all feature.

Additionally, the likes of Vincent Kompany, Didier Drogba, Laura Georges, Jürgen Klinsmann, Mark Schwarzer, Gilberto Silva and Pablo Zabaleta will also be on hand to provide their insight.

Who will be on World Cup commentary for BBC games?

The BBC has named an experienced off-camera team to provide match commentary.

Lead commentators

Guy Mowbray, Steve Wilson, Jonathan Pearce, Steve Bower, Robyn Cowen, Alistair Bruce Ball, Simon Davies, Ian Dennis, Pien Meulensteen, Conor McNamara, John Murray, Mark Scott and Vicki Sparks.

Co-commentators

Karen Bardsley, James Collins, Dion Dublin, Maz Farookhi, Danny Gabbidon, Jermaine Jenas, Martin Keown, Jayne Ludlow, Clinton Morrison, Danny Murphy, Robbie Savage, Peter Schmeichel and Stephen Warnock.

Where can viewers find BBC One?

Here is a list of providers and channel numbers.

ProviderBBC One Channel NumberFreeview101Sky101Virgin Media101BT1

Where can viewers find BBC iPlayer?

BBC coverage will also be available through their online platform, for those who prefer to stream games.

It is worth remembering that viewers will need to follow a few steps to access match action.

Fans will need to log in to their BBC iPlayer account (or register for one if needed) before they can start watching. A valid email address is needed to confirm registration, plus an acknowledgement of a TV licence.

You can find a link to BBC iPlayer here.