Giroud, Azpilicueta and McCarthy join BBC World Cup team

May 18, 2026 No Comments

Giroud, Azpilicueta and McCarthy join BBC World Cup teamImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The 48-team 2026 World Cup is the biggest international tournament in historyPublished55 minutes agoOlivier Giroud, Cesar Azpilicueta and Benni McCarthy have joined the BBC Sport team for the 2026 Fifa World Cup next month, with all 104 matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico to be covered across BBC platforms.There will be 54 games broadcast live on BBC television, while audiences can follow every game across the BBC’s digital platforms.

You can keep on top of the action across iPlayer, Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website & app, YouTube and social media.

The brand-new BBC Football YouTube and TikTok channels will include live streaming build-up and the opening 10 minutes of the biggest matches.

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An all-star cast of pundits will join BBC Sport’s television coverage of the tournament from Salford, while reporters on the ground in the United States, Canada and Mexico will bring the just in stories.

Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott will lead BBC Sport’s TV coverage, joined by pundits including Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Micah Richards, Ellen White, Steph Houghton, Rachel Corsie, Giroud, Joe Hart, Azpilicueta, McCarthy, Lucas Leiva and Thomas Frank.

“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,” stated Alex Kay-Jelski, BBC Director of Sport.

“Sport truly unites people like nothing else so we can’t wait for fans to enjoy not just the live matches with us but an abundance of football content, all day, every day across our platforms.

“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.”

BBC Scotland will provide in-depth coverage of 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,” stated Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland.

The 2026 World Cup begins on Thursday, 11 June, with the final taking place on Sunday, 19 July.

Learn more here about the BBC’s World Cup coverage plans, including full punditry line-ups for TV and radio, as England and Scotland go for glory.