BBC to screen England’s opening two World Cup games

Ian Watson

The BBC will show England’s opening two games of next summer’s World Cup after details of the coverage split with ITV were confirmed on Monday.

Gareth Southgate’s men begin their campaign against Tunisia in Volgograd on June 16, followed by facing Panama in Nizhny Novgorod on June 24.

ITV will show England’s final group game against Belgium in Kaliningrad four days later.

ITV will have priority for both the last 16 and the semi-finals, and the BBC will have first pick of quarter-finals, while both broadcasters will show the final.

The commercial broadcaster confirmed last month that Gary Neville will join their line-up of pundits which will also include Ryan Giggs, Ian Wright and Lee Dixon.

The BBC is yet to officially reveal its team but it is sure to be headed by Gary Lineker and former Newcastle star Alan Shearer.