The FIFA World Cup was first broadcast on television in 1954 and is now the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world, exceeding even the Olympic Games.[1] 715.2 million individuals watched the final match of the 2006 tournament (representing 11 percent of the entire population of the planet). The 2006 World Cup draw, which decided the distribution of teams into groups, was watched by 300 million viewers.[2]
Asia
Brunei
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Pakistan
Philippines
Singapore
South Korea
Thailand
Vietnam
Australia
Europe
Austria
Belgium
Germany
Finland
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Poland
Spain
United Kingdom
Over 100 nations have provided wall-to-wall coverage since the communications satellite launchings allowed for worldwide coverage beginning in 1966. European coverage of the World Cup has been extensive since 1954 (though with the World Cup held in Chile in 1962, much of the Euro coverage that year was tape-delayed).
Broadcast of the qualification for the World Cup Finals for England is currently held by ITV (terrestrial, home and away matches) with Sky holding rights for home and away matches for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These were previously held by the BBC but BBC have highlights of each home nation in their respective nation so BBC Scotland show Scotland highlights, BBC Wales show Wales highlights and BBC Northern Ireland show NI highlights.
However, coverage of the World Cup Finals is on a government mandated 'protected' list meaning it must be shown on free-to-air terrestrial television (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five) as opposed to satellite or cable television.[3] Although only one broadcaster is required, the two biggest terrestrial operators, the BBC and ITV, have always made a joint bid for coverage with broadcast of the Home Nations matches (particularly England) alternating between the broadcasters up to the later stages of the tournament. This is believed to prevent an extremely expensive bidding war for coverage between the two networks, with the current agreement running until the 2014 tournament.
Notes
- In the 2006 World Cup, ITV showed two of England's three group games, with the BBC showing one. However, the BBC would then have shown England through to the final, had they made it; this would have been on an exclusive basis for the round of 16 and the quarter finals (the latter being the round where England were actually eliminated), with coverage of the semi-final and final being shared with ITV.[4] The same method was used for the 2010 World Cup, where ITV showed the first two England games, and the BBC would have shown the next two, with England's semi final shared on both channels and the Final as well, but with England eliminated in the second round, the BBC instead had the first choice of the two quarter finals, and ITV the choice of a semi final and the third place match, with both channels showing the Final.
- For the 2014 World Cup the BBC is showing England first match against Italy with ITV showing the other 2 matches against Uruguay and Costa Rica. BBC have first choice for the 2nd round while ITV have first choice quarter final so if England get to the Quarters the match should be exclusively live on ITV.
Middle East and North Africa
North America
Canada
CBC broadcast the FIFA World Cup in 1986, 2002 and 2010, as well as the 2014 World Cup, along with Sportsnet. TSN also broadcast the FIFA World Cup in 1990, 1994, and 1998.[5] On October 27, 2011, Bell Media, the parent company of TSN, announced that they had secured broadcast rights for FIFA soccer from 2015 to 2022. The rights include the 2018 FIFA World Cup, 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup—which will be hosted in Canada.[6]
Mexico
United States
English-language television
Finals
Notes
Other rounds
| Year |
Network |
Play-by-play |
Color commentator(s) |
Studio host |
Studio analyst(s) |
| 2026 |
Fox, FS1, FS2 |
|
|
|
|
| 2022 |
|
|
|
|
| 2018 |
|
|
|
|
| 2014 |
|
|
|
|
Alexi Lalas, Steve McManaman, Michael Ballack, Alejandro Moreno, Kasey Keller, Gilberto Silva, Santiago Solari, Roberto Martínez, Taylor Twellman and Ruud van Nistelrooy |
| 2010 |
|
|
|
|
Alexi Lalas, Jürgen Klinsmann, Ruud Gullit, Steve McManaman, Shaun Bartlett and Roberto Martínez |
| 2006 |
|
|
|
|
Alexi Lalas, Eric Wynalda, Julie Foudy, and Heather Mitts |
| 2002 |
|
|
|
Terry Gannon |
Eric Wynalda and Giorgio Chinaglia |
| 1998 |
|
|
|
Brent Musburger |
Eric Wynalda |
| 1994 |
|
|
|
Jim McKay (ABC only) |
Desmond Armstrong (ABC only) |
| 1990 |
TNT[25] |
|
|
Ernie Johnson, Jr. |
|
| 1986 |
NBC[26] |
Charlie Jones |
Rick Davis and Paul Gardner |
Don Criqui |
Seamus Malin |
|
ESPN[27] |
JP Dellacamera |
Seamus Malin and Shep Messing |
|
|
| 1982 |
PBS[28] |
Toby Charles |
None |
|
|
|
ESPN[29] |
Bob Ley |
Seamus Malin |
|
|
Notes
- In 1982, PBS and ESPN provided the first thorough American television coverage of the FIFA World Cup. ABC aired the first live telecast of the final. ABC aired commercials during the live action. Meanwhile, PBS aired same day highlights of the top game of the day.
- 1986 marked the first time that the World Cup had extensive live cable and network television coverage in the United States. ESPN carried most of the weekday matches while NBC did weekend games.
- In 1990, the World Cup was covered exclusively by cable television (TNT) in the United States and had many features of the host country (Italy).
- The 1994 American coverage had many firsts: The first with all of the matches televised, the first with no commercial interruptions during live action, and the first to feature an on-screen score & time box.
- In 1998, all of the matches were televised in the United States live for the first time.
- The 2002 American coverage was all live as well, in spite of the games being played in Japan and South Korea, and therefore aired in the middle of the night.
- The 2006 coverage from Germany was fully live as well.
- Dave O'Brien joined Marcelo Balboa on the primary broadcast team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup coverage on ESPN and ABC Sports, despite having no experience calling soccer matches prior to that year. Because The Walt Disney Company, owner of both television outlets, retained control over on-air talent, the appointment of O'Brien as the main play-by-play voice was made over the objections of Soccer United Marketing, who wanted JP Dellacamera to continue in that role. Disney stated that their broadcast strategy was intended, in voice and style, to target the vast majority of Americans who do not follow the sport on a regular basis. Mispronunciation and incorrect addressing of names, misuse of soccer terminology, and lack of insight into tactics and history plagued the telecasts, resulting in heavy criticism from English-speaking soccer fans, many of whom ended up watching the games on Univision instead.[30][31]
- The 2010 coverage from South Africa introduced ESPN 3D for 25 matches.
- The 2014 coverage was available on mobile devices and tablets via the WatchESPN application, as well as on Xbox 360 and Xbox One video game consoles, live and on-demand, via the ESPN on Xbox Live application.
- Starting in 2018, coverage will be available on mobile devices and tablets via the Fox Sports Go application.
Spanish-language television
Notes
- From 2002 to 2014, José Luis Chilavert joined Pablo Ramirez and Jesus Bracamontes on the booth during the Univision broadcast of the FIFA World Cup Final match.
- Due to Telemundo's rights to the FIFA World Cup, NBC Universo and NBC Deportes different platforms on their mobile devices and tablets via the NBC Deportes En Vivo Extra application, will broadcast additional matches starting in 2018.
South America
Argentina
- 2014: Futbol Para Todos and TyC Sports
- 2010: Canal 7, Telefe and TyC Sports
- 2006: América 2, Canal Siete, Canal 9, Telefe, El Trece and TyC Sports
- 2002: América 2, Canal 7 and TyC Sports
- 1998: América 2, Canal 9 Libertad, Telefe and Canal 13
- 1994: América 2, ATC, Telefe and Canal 13
- 1990: ATC
- 1982-1986: Canal 2, ATC, Canal 9, Canal 11 and Canal 13
- 1978: A78TV
- 1962-1974: Canal 7 and Canal 13
- 1958: Canal 7
Brazil
- 2014: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SporTV, ESPN Brasil, BandSports and Fox Sports
- 2010: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SporTV, ESPN Brasil and BandSports
- 2006: Rede Globo, SporTV, ESPN Brasil and BandSports
- 2002: Rede Globo and SporTV
- 1998: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SBT, Rede Manchete, Rede Record, SporTV and ESPN Brasil
- 1994: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SBT and SporTV
- 1990: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SBT and Rede Manchete
- 1986: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SBT, Rede Manchete and Rede Record
- 1982: Rede Globo and TV Cultura
- 1978: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, Rede Tupi, Rede de Emissoras Independentes and TV Cultura
- 1974: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, Rede Tupi, Rede de Emissoras Independentes, Rede Gazeta and TV Cultura
- 1970: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, Rede Tupi and Rede de Emissoras Independentes
Chile
Colombia
Perú
Paraguay
Uruguay
See also
References
- ↑ "Facts and figures – FIFA World Cup™". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. May 27, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
- ↑ Socceroos face major challenge: Hiddink, ABC Sport, December 10, 2005. Retrieved May 13, 2006.
- ↑ "Free-to-air TV sport reconsidered". BBC News. 2008-09-26.
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/02_february/06/world.shtml
- ↑ Harrison, Doug (2012-08-14). "CBC, Sportsnet deal broadens FIFA coverage". CBC Sports. Retrieved 2012-09-16.
- ↑ "Bell Media lands deal for FIFA soccer from 2015 through 2022". TSN. 27 October 2011.
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1982 FIFA World Cup on ABC
- ↑ Blum, Ronald (April 20, 2010). "ESPN bets on World Cup spurring US soccer boom". Bloomberg Businessweek. Associated Press. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
That's a big change from the first U.S. World Cup telecast, when NBC rebroadcast the BBC's coverage of England's win over Germany in the 1966 final. As recently as 1978, the tournament wasn't on U.S. TV at all, with closed circuit transmissions the preferred method. ABC televised the 1982 final, and ESPN, PBS and the Spanish network SIN combined to broadcast the other games. Four years later, at the tournament in Mexico, only 22 matches were shown on U.S. English-language television - 15 on ESPN and seven on NBC.
- ↑ Aug 2, 1966 - Baseball's World Series, hockey's Stanley Cup, the National Football League Championship and Kentucky Derby became also rans in drama and international ... De spite errors in soccer terminology, NBC's Jim Simpson did an adequate job of commenting in the interests of American viewers, ...
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 2010 FIFA World Cup on ESPN
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 2010 FIFA World Cup on ESPN2
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 2010 FIFA World Cup on ABC
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 2006 FIFA World Cup on ESPN
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 2006 FIFA World Cup on ESPN2
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 2006 FIFA World Cup on ABC
- ↑ Google Search (timelime) - 2002 FIFA World Cup on ESPN
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 2002 FIFA World Cup on ESPN2
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 2002 FIFA World Cup on ABC
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1998 FIFA World Cup on ESPN
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1998 FIFA World Cup on ESPN2
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1998 FIFA World Cup on ABC
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1994 FIFA World Cup on ESPN
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1994 FIFA World Cup on ESPN2
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1994 FIFA World Cup on ABC
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1990 FIFA World Cup on TNT
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1986 FIFA World Cup on NBC
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1986 FIA World Cup on ESPN
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1982 FIFA World Cup on PBS
- ↑ Google Search (timeline) - 1982 FIFA World Cup on ESPN
- ↑ Fatsis, Stefan. "Fans Say ESPN's World Cup Coverage Deserves Penalty," The Wall Street Journal, Wednesday, July 5, 2006.
- ↑ Sports Media Watch presents the ten worst personnel moves of the 2000s. #5: Dave O'Brien calls the World Cup (2006, ESPN)
Sources
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| | Tournaments | |
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| | Finals | |
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| | Qualification | |
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| | Squads | |
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| | Seedings | |
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| | Bids | |
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| | Records and statistics | |
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| | Miscellaneous | |
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| Notes: There was no qualification for the 1930 World Cup as places were given by invitation only. In 1950, there was no final; the article is about the decisive match of the final group stage. |
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