In an exciting development for football fans across the United Kingdom, the BBC and ITV have secured exclusive rights to broadcast the highly anticipated 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. This partnership ensures that all 64 matches from the tournament will be televised, bringing the action directly to viewers’ screens.
The coverage will kick off in Auckland on July 20 and continue throughout the competition. The BBC and ITV will take turns broadcasting the matches, except for the Final, which will be simulcast on both BBC One and ITV1, allowing fans to enjoy the thrilling conclusion together.
Not only will television coverage be provided, but live audio commentary will also be available on BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra. Listeners can tune in to the extensive 5 Live coverage via BBC Sounds, DAB radio, and the BBC Sport website, ensuring they never miss a moment of the excitement.
Barbara Slater, the Director of BBC Sport, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We have shown every Women’s World Cup on the BBC since 1999, and we are happy to extend our partnership with FIFA for the upcoming tournament. The growth of the women’s game is extraordinary, demonstrated by the 28 million who watched BBC coverage of the 2019 Women’s World Cup and the huge audience of 17.4 million who watched our coverage of the Euro 2022 final on TV last summer. In partnership with ITV, we are delighted to make this World Cup available to the widest possible audience and free to air.”
ITV will broadcast half of the tournament’s matches on ITV1 and ITV4, providing fans with multiple options to enjoy the games. Simulcast and catch-up services will be available on ITVX, allowing viewers to watch matches at their convenience. Additionally, ITVX and ITV’s social media platforms will showcase match highlights, enhancing the overall viewer experience.
Niall Sloane, the ITV Director of Sport, emphasised the significance of this coverage, stating, “We’re delighted to be able to bring comprehensive coverage of the Women’s World Cup, free to air to our audiences with both live and highlights broadcasts across ITV and ITVX. This tournament promises to provide memorable moments with the popularity of women’s football continuing to grow. England’s Lionesses are entering the World Cup Finals as European champions, and fans have been able to follow their progress to qualification on ITV through our coverage of the World Cup qualifiers, so we hope they’ll join us to see all the action from Australia and New Zealand throughout the tournament.”
The BBC and ITV have collaborated with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), a European alliance of public service media organisations, to ensure the widespread availability of the tournament’s coverage.
The acquisition of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup rights further solidifies the impressive sports portfolios of both BBC Sport and ITV Sport. Alongside this event, BBC Sport holds broadcasting rights for other prestigious events such as the Women’s Super League, the Olympic Games, The FA Cup, Wimbledon Championships, the Six Nations, and the Premier League. Similarly, ITV Sport covers a wide range of top-tier competitions, including Six Nations rugby, the Rugby World Cup, UEFA EURO 2024, and many more.
With this exciting collaboration, UK audiences can look forward to an immersive and engaging experience as they support their favourite teams in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
