BBC to show France v Iraq World Cup coverage as Steve Wilson and Steve Crossman lead the commentary teams
Match date:
France v Iraq in the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available to British viewers across the BBC’s TV, radio and digital platforms, with BBC One/HD, BBC Sport Online, BBC iPlayer and BBC’s audio options all carrying coverage at 22:00 UK time on 22 June 2026.BBC coverage details The BBC’s radio coverage is also listed for BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport Online audio feed and the Red Button, underlining how prominently the corporation is covering the tournament.[2][3][6]
On BBC One/HD, Kelly Cates will present alongside Steve Wilson and Stephen Warnock, with further analysis from Olivier Giroud, Joe Hart and Gaël Clichy. Wilson is one of the BBC’s most experienced football commentators, while Warnock has become a familiar co-commentator across the broadcaster’s football coverage after his playing career with Liverpool and other clubs.
For listeners, Steve Crossman presents the BBC’s audio coverage with Ian Dennis on commentary and Pat Nevin alongside him. Dennis is a long-standing BBC football commentator, while Nevin has been a regular analyst on major tournaments after a career that included Everton, Chelsea and Scotland. BBC Radio 5 Live’s live programme is specifically listed as covering France v Iraq from Philadelphia.[2][3]
The BBC’s online and iPlayer stream combines both presenting teams, with Kelly Cates and Steve Crossman both listed as presenters and Steve Wilson and Ian Dennis among the main commentators. That makes the BBC’s digital offer particularly strong for viewers who want to switch between television-style coverage and live audio on BBC Sport Online and iPlayer.[6]
There is also a substantial international broadcast line-up. In the United States, FOX coverage features Rebecca Lowe presenting with John Strong and Stuart Holden, plus pundits including Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexi Lalas. Geoff Shreeves is listed as reporter and Mark Clattenburg as former official, giving the US broadcast a distinctly high-profile studio team.
On the world feed, Tony Husband is the main commentator with Tab Ramos as co-commentator. In the MENA region, beIN Sports has a separate presentation team led by Matt Spiro, with Bacary Sagna, Philippe Senderos and Jason McAteer among the pundits. For Irish audiences, RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Player are also carrying the match with Clare McNamara, John Kenny and Stuart Byrne involved.
French fans have further options through beIN Sports France 1 HD, while talkSPORT is providing an audio alternative in the UK with Ian Danter and Tony Cascarino. There is also a FlashScore audio feed led by Henry Deacon, offering another live-listening route for supporters who cannot watch the game.
France arrive with Didier Deschamps still focused on stability, with reports suggesting only minor changes may be made as they prepare for the Group I fixture against Iraq.[1] The match is therefore not only a major World Cup appointment on the pitch, but also one of the BBC’s most heavily covered fixtures of the tournament, with multiple broadcast teams and platforms available for viewers and listeners across the UK.[2][6]
Article generated: 22 June 2026, 22:00 GMT