'This is the biggest World Cup in history': ITV confirms huge presenter line-up with Man v Food legend and a new 24/7 channel
Roy Keane, Ian Wright, and Gary Neville have been tapped as pundits
The 2026 World Cup is upon us, and ITV has confirmed its full presenter and pundit line-up for the tournament – including a Man v Food host you may not have expected.
The Super Bowl is big. The Champions League final is bigger. The Olympics capture every country’s attention.
However, nothing is truly comparable to the FIFA World Cup. It’s the most-watched sports event on the face of the planet. And, in just a few weeks’ time, this year’s tournament will get underway.
Will England bring it “home”? Will Scotland defy the odds? It remains to be seen. For now, we know all of the presenters and pundits who’ll appear as part of ITV’s coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ian Wright lead ITV’s World Cup pundit line-up
ITV’s coverage, coming straight from the broadcaster’s studio in Brooklyn, New York, will be led by Mark Pougatch, Laura Woods and Semra Hunter.
Roy Keane, Ian Wright, and Gary Neville have been tapped as pundits for the tournament. They’ll appear alongside Patrick Vieira, Karen Carney, Ange Postecoglou, Juan Mata, Emma Hayes, and Duncan Ferguson, among others.
You can expect four main voices on ITV’s commentary: Sam Matterface, Jon Champion, Seb Hutchinson and Joe Speight. However, there will be four other co-commentators: Ally McCoist (presumably for Scotland’s games), Lee Dixon, Andros Townsend, and Lucy Ward.
ITV also confirmed that referee analyst Christina Unkel will return to break down major VAR and refereeing decisions during the tournament.
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Man v Food star Adam Richman joins ITV’s World Cup coverage
Once upon a time, Adam Richman was a mainstay of TV thanks to Man v. Food. For four years, he travelled the US, eating all sorts of mouth-watering cuisine and gut-churning food challenges.
However, you may not know this, but Richman is a devout Spurs follower and a huge football fan.
He’ll co-present alongside Semra Hunter, with the pair acting as a “third eye on the tournament, examining all of the biggest World Cup social and cultural moments”.
“Adam will be joined by celebrity guests and is set to bring his unique broadcasting perspective on the world’s greatest tournament,” a press release confirmed.
Elsewhere, ITV Sport reporter Daniyal Khan will be out on the streets of New York, talking to fans about the World Cup.
Which World Cup 2026 matches will ITV show?
ITV will air the opening two matches of the tournament, including Mexico vs South Africa, live from Mexico City at 8pm UK time.
The broadcaster is also showing 29 group-stage games, including England’s opener against Croatia on June 17 (at 9pm) and Scotland’s clash with Morocco on June 19 (at 11pm).
ITV will also air the first games for Argentina, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. The World Cup final will be shared between ITV and the BBC.
ITVX launching 24/7 World Cup channel
Alongside live coverage, ITV confirmed that ITVX will launch a dedicated World Cup 24/7 channel.
It will feature 40 classic matches, FIFA World Cup: Stories From The Cities (a 16-part series from FIFA exploring each host city) and FIFA World Cup Preview, a 12-part series from FIFA covering each team’s route to the tournament.
The streamer will also host a new digital series: Inside The World Cup (also on X), with behind-the-scenes access to England and other competing nations across the competition.
On the ITV Sport YouTube channel, fans will also be able to access all the latest content via a 24/7 stream, with up-to-date highlights, interviews and features playing right throughout the tournament.
Niall Sloane, ITV’s Director of Sport, said: “This is the biggest FIFA World Cup in history and we will be live from New York City for the duration of the tournament, bringing every key moment to life, free-to-air.
“Nothing unifies the UK audience more than a global sporting event and they don’t come much bigger than this.
“Our broadcast line-up is second to none and our comprehensive coverage across ITV, ITVX, our World Cup 24/7 Channel, plus our digital platforms will ensure the ITV audience doesn’t miss a second of action.”
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