RTÉ has unveiled what will be its most extensive FIFA World Cup coverage to date, confirming that Irish audiences will be able to watch all 104 games from the expanded 2026 tournament free-to-air across its television, radio and digital platforms.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest in the competition’s history, with 48 nations competing across the United States, Canada and Mexico. It will also be the first time the tournament has been staged across three host nations.
Unfortunately there will be no Irish team taking part but the tournament will still grab a hold of us as it always does.
As the official Irish broadcaster, RTÉ will carry live games, highlights, analysis and supporting content across RTÉ2, RTÉ Player, RTÉ News, RTÉ Online, RTÉ Radio 1 and its social media channels.
The broadcaster’s World Cup build-up began yesterday evening with a special edition of Inside Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Ray Houghton, Áine O’Gorman, Darragh Maloney, Alan Cawley and Paul Corry were among those joining the discussion, looking ahead to the tournament from a range of perspectives including tactics, teams to watch and even the best kits.
“This World Cup is unlike anything we’ve seen before, not just in its size but in the way fans will experience it,” said Declan McBennett, Group Head of RTÉ Sport.
“With matches taking place across three host nations and a record number of teams involved, supporters will be following stories unfolding in multiple time zones and at an incredible pace.”
“That’s why our multi-channel approach is so important. Whether it’s live on RTÉ2, streaming on RTÉ Player, catching up on RTÉ News or following the conversation across our digital platforms, we’re making sure audiences can stay connected to the tournament in whatever way suits them.”
RTÉ’s television coverage will be fronted by a presenting team of Joanne Cantwell, Peter Collins, Marie Crowe, Jacqui Hurley, Clare MacNamara and Tony O’Donoghue.
They will be joined by an extensive panel of pundits, co-commentators and commentators including Shay Given, Ronnie Whelan, Ray Houghton, James McClean, Didi Hamann, Áine O’Gorman, Kenny Cunningham, Stephen Kelly, Keith Treacy, Richie Sadlier, Alan Cawley, Kevin Doyle, Niamh Fahey, Des Curran, Darragh Maloney, Adrian Eames, John Kenny and Cathal Mullaney.
RTÉ Player will stream all 104 games live, giving viewers flexibility around matches taking place across multiple time zones. It will also offer highlights, match clips and a dedicated FIFA World Cup collection page.
A pop-up FIFA World Cup channel will be available throughout the tournament, carrying a continuous stream of tournament content. RTÉ Cork will also provide its own distinctive take on the competition for football supporters through the channel.
On radio, Marie Crowe and Jacqui Hurley will continue to cover the action from North America on Inside Sport, with daily tournament updates. Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport will also carry news and analysis throughout the competition.
RTÉ Sport online will provide a live blog and match report for every game, with goals and major incidents also shared across social platforms. Highlights of every match will be available on the RTÉ website and RTÉ Sport YouTube channel, offering a catch-up option for viewers unable to stay up for overnight fixtures.
The RTÉ Soccer Podcast will also have additional World Cup episodes, hosted by Raf Diallo and featuring RTÉ commentators, co-commentators and TV pundits involved in the tournament coverage.
RTÉ Kids will form part of the wider World Cup offer through the second season of Total Football, produced in partnership with the FAI.
The series will begin on Tuesday, June 9th at 5.30pm on RTÉ2, with the full series also dropping on RTÉ Player on the same day.
Hosted by Aisling O’Reilly, joined this season by Irish YouTube creator DavidMC, Total Football will feature players including Roberto “Pico” Lopes, Troy Parrott and Denise O’Sullivan, alongside coaches, content creators and a team of young reporters.
Heineken 0.0 has been confirmed as the broadcast sponsor of FIFA World Cup 2026 on RTÉ.
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