SBS Unveils 2026 World Cup Broadcast Plan: All 104 Matches Live Free, Kewell and Williams on the Talent Bench, TikTok Watch-Alongs for Socceroos
Australia's SBS will carry all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup live and free across SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand. Sixty-nine per cent of matches fall between 6 am and 4:30 pm AEST. Harry Kewell, Lydia Williams and David Basheer head the talent line-up; Niav Owens and Claudio Fabiano host. The Socceroos open in Group D against Türkiye on June 14. SBS will also stream TikTok Watch-Alongs for Australia's matches and air the FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show featuring Madonna, Shakira and BTS, curated by Chris Martin.
S BS has published the full broadcast plan for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with all 104 matches across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico live and free across SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand. The broadcaster says 69 per cent of matches fall between 6 am and 4:30 pm AEST, the most accessible Australian World Cup broadcast window in decades. Coverage begins on Friday June 12 (AEST) with the Opening Ceremony from Estadio Azteca and Mexico vs South Africa.
Host and talent line-up
Niav Owens and Claudio Fabiano host. The talent bench around them is led by Harry Kewell and Lydia Williams, with former Socceroo midfielder Tommy Oar, goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne, former Ghana captain Kevin-Prince Boateng and former Matilda Sarah Walsh in the analysis seats. Presenters across the tournament include Adriano Del Monte, Adamo De Nigris, Kat Sasso, Sam Jurman, Darren Mara, Breanna Holden and Adrian Arciuli. David Basheer leads the call on the Socceroos matches alongside former Socceroo Luke Wilkshire.
Socceroos in Group D
Tony Popovic's Socceroos open against Türkiye from 1 pm AEST on Sunday June 14. The second group game is against co-hosts USA from 4 am AEST on Saturday June 20. The third is against Paraguay from 11 am AEST on Friday June 26. SBS will run its daily wrap programme The Football Briefing with Basheer, Wilkshire and guests through the campaign.
TikTok Watch-Alongs, a first for SBS Sport
SBS Sport will launch live Watch-Along streams on TikTok for selected matches for the first time, with Australia vs Türkiye and Paraguay vs Australia confirmed in the package. The Watch-Along model wraps SBS's analysis around the live match feed inside the TikTok app, the kind of platform-native distribution Australian sports broadcast has previously kept to its own apps.
Halftime show carried
SBS will also carry the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show, live from New York New Jersey Stadium on Monday July 20 (AEST). FIFA has billed Madonna, Shakira and BTS as the headline acts, with the show curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin and proceeds supporting the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. Characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets are listed in the show.
On Demand and replays
SBS On Demand will carry full match replays, three-minute highlights, extended highlights and mini-matches for every fixture, with the SBS Sport website and social channels running the wider written and short-form coverage. The tournament runs from Friday June 12 to Monday July 20 (AEST) for Australian viewers.
Reporting: SBS / TV Tonight, May 25, 2026.