Why ‘podcast wars’ will be real broadcast battleground at this World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first to be staged across three countries and featuring an expanded 48-team format, will mark a major shift in broadcasting, with YouTube and TikTok airing live action for the first time. Netflix will stream a daily show, Gary Lineker's The Rest is Football, which will broadcast from Times Square for nearly six weeks. This represents a departure from the traditional BBC vs ITV rivalry that has dominated UK World Cup coverage since 1966, with digital and streaming platforms now taking centre stage.