BBC Names World Cup Pundit Team: Giroud, Azpilicueta and McCarthy Join Shearer, Rooney and Hart
The BBC will cover all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup, with 54 games on linear TV plus every game across iPlayer, Radio 5 Live and BBC Sport digital. Olivier Giroud, César Azpilicueta and Benni McCarthy join the punditry desk. New BBC Football YouTube and TikTok channels stream build-up plus the opening 10 minutes of the biggest matches.
T he BBC has confirmed its on-air line-up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with all 104 matches covered across its platforms and 54 games broadcast live on BBC television. Olivier Giroud, César Azpilicueta and Benni McCarthy are the headline additions to a punditry desk that already runs deep on UK and Premier League knowledge, while BBC Sport will run alongside the broadcast on iPlayer, Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website and app, plus brand-new BBC Football YouTube and TikTok channels.
The studio line-up
Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott lead BBC Sport's television coverage from Salford. The full punditry line-up adds Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Micah Richards, Ellen White, Steph Houghton, Rachel Corsie, Olivier Giroud, Joe Hart, César Azpilicueta, Benni McCarthy, Lucas Leiva and Thomas Frank. Reporters on the ground in the United States, Canada and Mexico will feed in the daily stories.
"The BBC is turning the biggest World Cup in history into the most iconic one yet. We're bringing fans closer to every match, every moment and every story than ever before," said Alex Kay-Jelski, BBC Director of Sport. "Whether it's our new series on YouTube and iPlayer, the biggest news stories on our website and app, our daily podcasts on Sounds or the viral moments on social media, we're here for audiences 24/7 this summer, taking them straight to the heart of the World Cup."
YouTube, TikTok and the digital plan
The BBC's pitch beyond the TV grid is the most aggressive yet for a UK World Cup. The brand-new BBC Football YouTube and TikTok channels will live-stream build-up shows and the opening 10 minutes of the biggest matches, a workaround that lets a younger audience access the start of a game on the platforms they actually use. Radio 5 Live keeps the full-match audio rights, BBC Sounds gathers the daily podcasts, and the BBC Sport site plus app run the live text and feature stories.
Scotland coverage and the dates
BBC Scotland will run a dedicated arm of coverage around Scotland's first men's World Cup since 1998. "It's going to be thrilling to see the national team back on football's biggest stage after 28 years, a moment that's sure to bring huge pride and excitement right across the country," said Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland. The tournament opens on Thursday, June 11 in Mexico City and closes with the final on Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium.