ITV will reportedly have staff at all of their 2026 World Cup games – while the BBC are covering some from their Salford HQ.
A selection of pundits and even commentators will be forced to operate out of a studio in Blighty as part of a decision geared towards cutting costs and minimising environmental impact.
ITV are sending staff to every World Cup game they have the rights toCredit: Getty
Gabby Logan is one of the favourites to replace Gary Lineker as the BBC’s lead World Cup hostCredit: Getty
And that does hand their British broadcasting rivals, , a distinct advantage.
Because according to The Times , they have no plans to follow the BBC’s lead and will be forking out for in-stadium coverage of every World Cup match they have the rights to.
The sprawl of a in countries the size of the USA, Canada and Mexico makes it a tricky operation to pull off.
The last tournament – in Qatar three years ago – was the most compact in World Cup history, allowing commentators and pundits to zip between grounds easily.
There is also the issue of the expanded 48-team format, which has catapulted the total number of matches from 64 to 104.
But ITV ensuring they’ll always have someone on-site should allow their match teams to paint a clearer picture of what’s happening inside the stadium.
And in terms of describing the atmosphere, or events unfolding off-camera.
A selection of iconic grounds have been lined up to host matches at next year’s World Cup.
There’s a staggering 3,435 miles between the 54,000-capacity BC Place in Vancouver, Canada, and the 65,000-strong Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Also on the list is the whopping 94,000-seater Dallas Stadium in Texas, the iconic Azteca in Mexico City, and the Kansas City Stadium which is hundreds of miles from any other host venue.
Fresh from their win at last year’s Euros, Spain are the favourites to lift what would be their second World Cup.
England and France are also well-fancied, with South American powerhouses Argentina and Brazil taking their usual place among the top dogs.
Some BBC commentators and pundits will be operating out of their HQ in SalfordCredit: Alamy
The AT&T Stadium holds 94,000 spectatorsCredit: Getty
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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