ITV and the BBC will broadcast all 104 World Cup matches this summer, with new additions to each punditry team made
Former Tottenham Hotspur managers Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank are poised to play punditry for competing broadcasters at this summer’s World Cup.
The BBC and ITV are putting the finishing touches to their respective punditry teams for the tournament, which will be staged across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
While the two broadcasters have distinctly different strategies for covering the extensive 104-match competition, both can claim impressive star-studded rosters.
It has been revealed that Frank, who was sacked by Tottenham in February, will operate as one of the BBC’s primary analysts. According to The Guardian, the Dane will be accompanied on their panel by the likes of Wayne Rooney, Alan Shearer and Joe Hart.
Former Arsenal and Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud is also a new recruit for the Beeb. As for Postecoglou, the manager whom Frank succeeded in the Spurs hotseat last summer, he has confirmed his involvement with ITV.
Their roster features Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ian Wright, alongside former Premier League winger Andros Townsend. Tottenham fans will note that while Postecoglou has commented extensively about his two-year tenure in north London, Frank has yet to publicly discuss his sacking.
Frank’s abysmal 34.2% win rate stands as the poorest of any permanent manager throughout Spurs’ history. His successor, Igor Tudor, performed little better.
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The caretaker manager endured five losses across his seven games at the helm before current manager Roberto De Zerbi arrived last month. Postecoglou joined Nottingham Forest in September, but lasted just 39 days before his dismissal.
ITV will show England’s opening fixture against Croatia at 9pm on Wednesday, June 17, as well as their third group-stage clash against Panama at 10pm on Saturday, June 27. Meanwhile, the BBC hold the rights to England’s second match against Ghana at 9pm on Tuesday, June 23.
The BBC will have first choice of broadcasting rights should England progress to the last 32, the last 16 and the semi-finals. ITV, however, will have priority for England’s potential quarter-final, while both channels will separately broadcast the final.
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
ITV have acquired a prestigious studio in Brooklyn, New York for the duration of the tournament. Mark Pougatch and Laura Woods will lead their coverage as main presenters.
The BBC, conversely, will stay at their Salford headquarters until the quarter-final stage. Their presenting responsibilities will be divided between Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates.
While the BBC’s decision is influenced by both budgetary and environmental factors, former presenter Gary Lineker – who had been scheduled to lead their World Cup coverage before his premature exit – recently took a swipe at his previous employers.
“This World Cup will be different because of all the other ones I’ve done at the BBC,” said Lineker, who will instead be working for Netflix, adding: “I would have been in Salford in the green box, and now I’m in New York City, at Times Square. This will be exciting and something very different but still very similar to the podcast.”
