BBC and ITV strike deal for Women's World Cup 2027 amid Lionesses' Euro success
The biggest tournament in women's football will remain on free-to-air TV.
As England supporters celebrate the Lionesses second consecutive Euros triumph, there's another piece of good news for football fans: the BBC and ITV have struck a deal to retain the rights for the 2027 World Cup.
This means that the biggest tournament in women's football will remain free-to-air for UK viewers in its entirety, with the two broadcasters sharing coverage on both live TV and streaming.
In announcing the news, the BBC's director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski explained how BBC sport had been "a longstanding champion of women's football," and added that it had helped "to elevate the game to where it is today".
His statement continued: "From domestic leagues to major international tournaments, we've brought the defining moments to millions across the UK already, including this summer's Women's Euro tournament."
Meanwhile, ITV's director of sport Niall Sloane said: "The Fifa Women's World Cup 2027 is sure to be another standout tournament and we look forward to continuing our relationship with both Fifa and the BBC."
The tournament is set to take part in Brazil between the 24th June and 27th July 2027, and England will be hoping to go one better than their last appearance at the World Cup – when they were beaten by Spain in the final.
Of course, the Lionesses got revenge for that defeat in yesterday's Euro 2025 final, with the heroics of goalkeeper Hannah Hampton helping to ensure a penalty shoot-out victory after the match finished 1-1.
Scotland will also be hoping to qualify for the tournament after failing to make the 2023 edition, while Wales and Northern Ireland will be aiming to qualify for their first ever World Cup.
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Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
