The FIFA World Cup was first broadcast on television in 1954 and is now the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world, exceeding even the Olympic Games. 715.2 million individuals watched the final match of the 2006 tournament (representing 11 percent of the entire population of the planet). The 2006 World Cup draw, which decided the distribution of teams into groups, was watched by 300 million viewers.
1974-now: BTV
2006-now: Astro (all matches)
1994-2002: STMB TV3 (all matches in live telecast)
1978-1990 and 2006-now:RTB TV1
2006-now: CTN
1986-2002: TVK
1974: TVREK
1970: TVRK
1962-now: CCTV
2018: LeTV - LeSports Hong Kong (all matches)
2014: Television Broadcasts Limited (all matches in live telecast)
2002-2010: Asia Television (4-matches), Television Broadcasts Limited (4-matches) and Hong Kong Cable Television (all matches)
1986-1998: Asia Television and Television Broadcasts Limited (all matches in live telecast)
1974-1982: Hong Kong Television Broadcast Limited and Rediffusion Television (all matches in live telecast)
1970: Hong Kong Television Broadcast Limited and Rediffusion Television Colour (all matches in live telecast)
1958-1966: Rediffusion Television Black and White (all matches)
2014: Sony SIX, Sony KIX
1962-2010: Doordarshan
2018: TVRI (all matches simulcast with TVRI Aceh, TVRI Sumatera Utara, TVRI Sumatera Barat, TVRI Riau, TVRI Jambi, TVRI Sumatera Selatan, TVRI Bangka Belitung, TVRI Bengkulu, TVRI Lampung, TVRI Jakarta dan Banten, TVRI Jawa Barat, TVRI Jawa Tengah, TVRI Jogja, TVRI Jawa Timur, TVRI Bali, TVRI NTB, TVRI NTT, TVRI Kalimantan Barat TVRI Kalimantan Selatan, TVRI Kalimantan Tengah, TVRI Kalimantan Timur, TVRI Sulawesi Selatan, TVRI Sulawesi Tengah, TVRI Sulawesi Tenggara, TVRI Sulawesi Barat, TVRI Gorontalo, TVRI Sulawesi Utara, TVRI Maluku and TVRI Papua)
2014: ANTV (all matches simulcast with tvOne in live telecast), tvOne (all matches simulcast with ANTV in live telecast), Viva+ (all matches simulcast with K-vision) and K-vision (all matches simulcast with Viva+)
2010: RCTI (46-matches) and Global TV (20-matches)
2006: SCTV (all matches)
2002: RCTI (all matches in live telecast)
1998: TVRI, RCTI, SCTV, TPI, ANTeve and Indosiar (all matches in live telecast)
1994: TVRI (12-matches), TPI (16-matches), RCTI (all matches in live telecast) and SCTV (8-matches)
1990: TVRI (10-matches) and RCTI (all matches in live telecast)
1986: TVRI (all matches)
1982: TVRI Colour (all matches)
1966-1978: TVRI Black and White (all matches)
1962-now: IRIB
2014: Tokyo Nippon Television, TBS Television, Tokyo Fuji Television, Tokyo TV Asahi and TV Tokyo (all matches in live telecast)
2010: Tokyo Cable Television (all matches), Tokyo NHK General TV (22-matches), Tokyo Nippon Television (5-matches), Tokyo Fuji Television (5-matches), Tokyo TBS Television (5-matches), Tokyo TV Asahi (4-matches) and TV Tokyo (3-matches)
2006: Tokyo Fuji Television
1966-2002: TV Tokyo (all matches)
1962-2002: Tokyo Fuji Television and Tokyo TV Asahi (all matches)
1958-2002: Tokyo TBS Television (all matches)
1954-2002: Tokyo NHK General TV and Tokyo Nippon Television (all matches)
2014: NTS
1994-2010: KTRK
2014: TVLAO
1986-2010: LNTV
2006-now: Astro (all matches)
1998: NTV7 (all matches simulcast with TV3 in live telecast)
1994-2002: STMB TV3 (all matches shares with NTV7 in live telecast)
1982-1990 and 2006-now: RTM TV1 and TV2 (all matches)
1970-1978: RTM Rangkaian Pertama and Rangkaian Kedua Black and White (all matches)
1966-1978: Televisyen Malaysia Black and White (all matches)
1982-now: TVM
2014: Sky Net
1982-2010: MRTV
2014: [PTV Sport] (all matches)
2018: Fox Sports Asia (all matches)
2014: ABS-CBN Sports and Action and Balls (all matches)
2010: Balls and Studio 23 (all matches)
2006: Radio Philippines Network and SportsPlus (all matches)
2002: National Broadcasting Network and Sky Cable (all matches)
1974-1998: GMA Network (all matches)
2010-now: MediaCorp TV12 Okto (4-matches) and StarHub TV/Singtel TV (all matches)
2006: MediaCorp TV12 Central (4-matches) and StarHub Cable Vision (all matches)
2002: SPH MediaWorks Channel i (4-matches) and Singapore Cable Vision (all matches)
1998: Singapore Television Twelve (STV12) Premiere 12 (all matches)
1994: STMB TV3 (all matches in live telecast)
1986-1990: Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Channel 12 (all matches)
1982: Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Channel 8 (opening match) and Channel 5 (semifinal and final)
1978: Radio and Television of Singapore Channel 5 (all matches)
1974 Final: Radio and Television of Singapore Channel 5 Colour (all matches)
1966-1974: Radio and Television of Singapore Channel 5 Black and White (all matches)
1986-now: SLRC
1994-2002: KBS and SBS (all matches in live telecast)
2006: KBS, MBC and SBS (all matches)
2010: SBS (all matches)
2014-now: KBS (all matches in live telecast)
1994-now: TVT
Thailand
1970–1998: The Television Pool of Thailand (Analog Terrestrial Black and White TV: Channel 4, Channel 7; Colour TV: Channel 3, Channel 5 (7 in BWTV), Channel 7, Channel 9 (4 in BWTV) ) (all matches)
2002: Dhospaak Communication Agency Company Limited; subsidiary company of Thai Beverages PCL. (Analog Terrestrial: Channel 3, Channel 5, Channel 7, Modernine TV (Channel 9), Channel 11) (all matches)
2006/2010/2014: RS Public Company Limited (Terrestrial: Channel 3, Channel 5, Channel 7, Modernine TV, NBT (Channel 11); Satellite: RS Sunbox) (all matches)
1994-now: NTRC
1982-now: VTV (all matches)
2014-now: SBS (all matches in live telecast)
2010: SBS, ESPN
2006: SBS
2002: SBS (all matches in live telecast) and Nine Network
1986-1998: SBS
2006: Digitalb
1962-2002, 2010-now: RTSH
1994-now: ARMTV
1958-now: ORF
2010-now: İTV
2002-2006: Lider TV
1994-1998: AzTV
1994-now: BTRC
1954-now: RTBF and VRT
Bosnia and Herzegovina
2002-now: BHRT
1998: BHT
1994: RTV BiH
1962-now: BNT
1994-now: HRT
1962-now: CyBC
1994-now: ČT
1954-1990: ČST
2002-now: TV 2
1954-now: DR
1974-1986: DDR-FS
1954-1970, 1990: DFF
1994-now: ETV
1978-now: TF1
1966-1974: ORTF
1954-1962: RTF
1994-now: GPB
1994-now: Das Erste and ZDF (all matches)
Finland
1962-now: Yle
2018-now: ERT
2014: NERIT
1970s-2010: ERT
2006: RTL Klub
1958-2002 and 2010-now: MTV
Iceland
2010: Stöð 2 Sport
2006: Sýn
1970-2002 and 2010-now: RÚV
Ireland
1962-now: RTÉ
1954-now: RAI
1994-now: LTV
1994-now: LRT
1994-now: MRT
1994-now: TRM
2010-now: RTCG
2006: TV In
Netherlands
1966: NTS
1970-now: NOS
Poland
2010–2014: TVP (all 64 matches)
2002–2006: TVP (12 matches in 2002, 32 matches in 2006) and Polsat Sport (all 64 matches)
1974–1998: TVP
1970: TP (final only, on a three-day tape-delay)
1966: TP
1958-now: RTP
1958-now: TVR
2014: Channel One, All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company
2010: Channel One (26 matches), All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (38 matches)
1998–2006: Channel One, All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company
1994: Channel One Ostankino, Russia-1
1958-1990: JRT
1994-now: RTS
2014-now: RTVS
1994-2010: STV
1994-now: RTVSLO
2014: Telecinco, Cuatro and Gol Televisión
2010: Telecinco, Cuatro and Digital+
2006: laSexta, Cuatro and Digital+
2002: Antena 3 and Vía Digital
1962–1998: TVE
1958–1990: Soviet Central Television
1982-now: SVT
1958-1978: SRTV
Switzerland
1954-now: SRG SSR
2006: Kanal 1
1970-2002, 2010-now: TRT
2006: Inter, ICTV
1994-2002, 2010-now: NTU
Over 100 nations have provided wall-to-wall coverage since the communications satellite launchings allowed for worldwide coverage beginning in 1966. European coverage of the World Cup has been extensive since 1954 (though with the World Cup held in Chile in 1962, much of the Euro coverage that year was tape-delayed).
Broadcast of the qualification for the World Cup Finals for England is currently held by ITV (terrestrial, home and away matches) with Sky holding rights for home and away matches for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These were previously held by the BBC but BBC have highlights of each home nation in their respective nation so BBC Scotland show Scotland highlights, BBC Wales show Wales highlights and BBC Northern Ireland show NI highlights.
However, coverage of the World Cup Finals is on a government mandated 'protected' list meaning it must be shown on free-to-air terrestrial television (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five) as opposed to satellite or cable television. Although only one broadcaster is required, the two biggest terrestrial operators, the BBC and ITV, have always made a joint bid for coverage with broadcast of the Home Nations matches (particularly England) alternating between the broadcasters up to the later stages of the tournament. This is believed to prevent an extremely expensive bidding war for coverage between the two networks, with the current agreement running until the 2014 tournament.
1966-1990: ZDF
1990: EDF
1954-1986: DF
In the 2006 World Cup, ITV showed two of England's three group games, with the BBC showing one. However, the BBC would then have shown England through to the final, had they made it; this would have been on an exclusive basis for the round of 16 and the quarter finals (the latter being the round where England were actually eliminated), with coverage of the semi-final and final being shared with ITV. The same method was used for the 2010 World Cup, where ITV showed the first two England games, and the BBC would have shown the next two, with England's semi final shared on both channels and the Final as well, but with England eliminated in the second round, the BBC instead had the first choice of the two quarter finals, and ITV the choice of a semi final and the third place match, with both channels showing the Final.
For the 2014 World Cup the BBC is showing England first match against Italy with ITV showing the other 2 matches against Uruguay and Costa Rica. BBC have first choice for the 2nd round while ITV have first choice quarter final so if England get to the Quarters the match should be exclusively live on ITV.
Middle East and North Africa
2002-2006:ART Sport (all matches)
2010-2022:beIN Sports (all matches)
2014-now: EPTV
1986-1998: ENTV
1966-1982: RTA
1986-now: RTNB
1974-1998: ERTU
1986-now: ORTM
1962-1998: SNRT
1958: RTM
1994-now: NBC
1970-now: ORTN
1966-now: RTS
1978-now: SABC
1974-now: TVT
1990-1998: ERTT
1970-1986: RTT
CBC broadcast the FIFA World Cup in 1986, 2002 and 2010, as well as the 2014 World Cup, along with Sportsnet. TSN also broadcast the FIFA World Cup in 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002. On October 27, 2011, Bell Media, the parent company of TSN, announced that they had secured broadcast rights for FIFA soccer from 2015 to 2022. The rights include the 2018 FIFA World Cup, 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup—which was hosted in Canada.
1974–Current: Televisa and TV Azteca (all matches)
1954–1970: Telesistema Mexicano (all matches)
Finals
The first American coverage of the World Cup consisted only of a previously filmed telecast of the 1966 Final on NBC. The Final was aired before their coverage of the Saturday Major League Baseball Game of the Week. NBC used the black & white BBC feed and aired it on a two-hour film delay. This was the first time soccer had been shown in the United States as a stand-alone broadcast. Previously, ABC's Wide World of Sports had shown England's Football Association Cup on as long as a two-week delay.
1970's coverage was usually week-old filmed highlights shown on ABC’s Wide World of Sports.
1974's coverage also contained week-old filmed highlights on CBS Sports Spectacular.
1978 had no English language coverage on American television at all.
Notes
In 1982, PBS and ESPN provided the first thorough American television coverage of the FIFA World Cup. ABC aired the first live telecast of the final. ABC aired commercials during the live action. Meanwhile, PBS aired same day highlights of the top game of the day.
1986 marked the first time that the World Cup had extensive live cable and network television coverage in the United States. ESPN carried most of the weekday matches while NBC did weekend games.
In 1990, the World Cup was covered exclusively by cable television (TNT) in the United States and had many features of the host country (Italy).
The 1994 American coverage had many firsts: The first with all of the matches televised, the first with no commercial interruptions during live action, and the first to feature an on-screen score & time box.
In 1998, all of the matches were televised in the United States live for the first time.
The 2002 American coverage was all live as well, in spite of the games being played in Japan and South Korea, and therefore aired in the middle of the night.
The 2006 coverage from Germany was fully live as well.
Dave O'Brien joined Marcelo Balboa on the primary broadcast team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup coverage on ESPN and ABC Sports, despite having no experience calling soccer matches prior to that year. Because The Walt Disney Company, owner of both television outlets, retained control over on-air talent, the appointment of O'Brien as the main play-by-play voice was made over the objections of Soccer United Marketing, who wanted JP Dellacamera to continue in that role. Disney stated that their broadcast strategy was intended, in voice and style, to target the vast majority of Americans who do not follow the sport on a regular basis. Mispronunciation and incorrect addressing of names, misuse of soccer terminology, and lack of insight into tactics and history plagued the telecasts, resulting in heavy criticism from English-speaking soccer fans, many of whom ended up watching the games on Univision instead.
The 2010 coverage from South Africa introduced ESPN 3D for 25 matches.
The 2014 coverage was available on mobile devices and tablets via the WatchESPN application, as well as on Xbox 360 and Xbox One video game consoles, live and on-demand, via the ESPN on Xbox Live application.
Starting in 2018, coverage will be available on mobile devices and tablets via the Fox Sports Go application.
Notes
From 2002 to 2014, José Luis Chilavert joined Pablo Ramirez and Jesus Bracamontes on the booth during the Univision broadcast of the FIFA World Cup Final match.
Starting in 2018, coverage will be available on mobile devices and tablets via the Telemundo Deportes En Vivo application. NBC Universo will also broadcast several matches of the tournament.
2014: Futbol Para Todos and TyC Sports
2010: Canal 7, Telefe and TyC Sports
2006: América 2, Canal Siete, Canal 9, Telefe, El Trece, TyC Sports and América Sports.
2002: América TV, Canal 7, Azul TV and TyC Sports
1998: América 2, Canal 9 Libertad, Telefe, El Trece, TyC Sports, Cable Sport and América Sports
1994: América 2, ATC, Canal 9 Libertad, Telefe and Canal 13
1990: ATC
1982-1986: Canal 2, ATC, Canal 9, Canal 11 and Canal 13
1978: A78TV
1962-1974: Canal 7 and Canal 13
1958: Canal 7
2014: Rede Globo, RedeTV!, Rede Bandeirantes, Rede Record, SporTV, ESPN Brasil, BandSports and Fox Sports
2010: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SporTV, ESPN Brasil and BandSports
2006: Rede Globo, SporTV, ESPN Brasil and BandSports
2002: Rede Globo and SporTV
1998: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SBT, Rede Manchete, Rede Record, SporTV and ESPN Brasil
1994: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SBT and SporTV
1990: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SBT and Rede Manchete
1986: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SBT, Rede Manchete and Rede Record
1982: Rede Globo and TV Cultura
1978: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, Rede Tupi, Rede de Emissoras Independentes and TV Cultura
1974: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, Rede Tupi, Rede de Emissoras Independentes, Rede Gazeta and TV Cultura
1970: Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, Rede Tupi and Rede de Emissoras Independentes
2018: TVN, Megavisión and Canal 13
2014: TVN and Canal 13
2010: TVN
2006: TVN, Megavisión and Red Televisión
2002: TVN and Canal 13
1998: TVN, Canal 13 and Chilevisión
1978-1994: TVN and Canal 13
1974: TVN
1966-1970: Canal 13
1962: Canal 13 and Canal 9
2018: Caracol TV and RCN TV
2014: Caracol TV and RCN TV
2010: Caracol TV and RCN TV
2006: Caracol TV and RCN TV
2002: Caracol TV and RCN TV
1998: Canal Uno, Canal A, Caracol TV and RCN TV
1994: Cadena Uno and Canal A
1990: Cadena Uno and Cadena Dos
1962: Cadena Uno
2018: RTS
2014: TC Televisión, GamaTV and Oromar Televisión
2010: TC Televisión and GamaTV
2006: Ecuavisa, Teleamazonas and RTS
2002: Teleamazonas and Telesistema
1998: Ecuavisa, Teleamazonas, Telesistema, TC Televisión, Gamavisión and SíTV
1994: Ecuavisa, Teleamazonas, Telesistema, TC Televisión and Gamavisión
1990: Ecuavisa, Teleamazonas, Telecuatro, Telecentro and Gamavisión
1986: Ecuavisa, Telecuatro and Telecentro
1982: Ecuavisa, Telecuatro and Telecentro
1978: Ecuavisa and Telecentro
1974: Ecuavisa and Telecentro
1970: Ecuavisa and Telecentro
Free TV: ATV (2002–Present), América Televisión (1970-1998, Present) and Pantel (1978-1998) (all matches)
Pay TV: DirecTV Sports (all matches) (2002–present)
Free TV: Telefuturo, SNT, Red Guaraní, El Trece and Paraguay TV (some matches) (1978–present)
Pay TV: Tigo Sports (32 matches) and DirecTV Sports (all matches) (2014)
Free TV: Monte Carlo TV, Teledoce, Canal 7 and Canal 10 (some matches) (1974–present)
Pay TV: VTV Sports (32 Matches) and DirecTV Sports (All Matches) (2002–present)
