BBC Sport Football: The UK’s Premier Destination for Football Coverage in 2026

BBC Sport Football: A Tradition of Excellence

BBC Sport Football remains at the heart of British football culture, providing millions of fans with comprehensive coverage of the beautiful game. The BBC holds the television and radio UK broadcasting rights to several sports, broadcasting the sport live or alongside flagship analysis programmes such as Match of the Day. As 2026 unfolds, BBC Sport Football continues to evolve, offering fans unprecedented access to their favourite competitions through multiple platforms including television, radio, and digital services.

Match of the Day: A New Era Begins

A significant transformation has taken place in 2026 with Match of the Day, the iconic Premier League highlights programme. In January 2025, the BBC announced that Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan would share the presenting of Match of the Day, Match of the Day 2 and Match of the Day: Champions League following Lineker’s departure. Saturday’s episode will see Mark Chapman on presenting duties. He will be joined in the studio by Alan Shearer and former Spurs, Portsmouth and Rangers striker Jermain Defoe for analysis. This fresh presenting trio brings diverse perspectives and expertise, ensuring the programme’s continued appeal to football fans nationwide.

Comprehensive Football Coverage Across Platforms

The BBC Sport app brings you all the breaking news across the world of sport including football, cricket, rugby union, rugby league, F1, tennis, golf, athletics and much more. The BBC Sport app offers in-depth results, analysis, live scores, match stats and text commentaries — keeping you up-to-date with all the action when you’re on the go. The platform allows fans to personalise their experience, with over 350 different topics to follow including your favourite team or sports.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Shared Broadcasting Triumph

Looking ahead to the summer, BBC Sport Football will play a crucial role in bringing the FIFA World Cup 2026 to UK audiences. ITV Sport and BBC Sport today unveil their live match split for the FIFA World Cup 2026, confirming how UK audiences can watch every major moment of next summer’s global football spectacular, kicking off on 11th June 2026. ITV and the BBC will once again bring the entire World Cup tournament to everyone, everywhere, free-to-air sharing coverage of its biggest fixtures. On the BBC, audiences can look forward to three of England’s knockout clashes, if they progress – in the round of 32, round of 16, and a semi-final, plus England’s group-stage match with Ghana.

Significance for Football Fans

BBC Sport Football’s importance to UK football culture cannot be overstated. At the end of 2023, the BBC and Premier League agreed on a deal whereby Premier League highlights will be shown on Match Of The Day, Match of the Day 2 and Football Focus up to and including the 2028–29 season. The deal also includes a significant increase in the amount of digital content that can be used across BBC Sport platforms. This commitment ensures that football fans across the United Kingdom will continue to enjoy free-to-air access to comprehensive football coverage for years to come, maintaining the BBC’s position as an essential part of the nation’s sporting landscape.