RTÉ unveiled extensive, free-to-air FIFA World Cup coverage this afternoon with an unprecedented 104 games set to be broadcast live from USA, Canada and Mexico.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest tournament in the competition's history as it expands to 48 competing nations and for the first time, three host nations.
RTÉ will deliver multi-channel, free to air coverage with full games, highlights and top-tier commentary available on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player, RTÉ News, RTÉ Online, RTÉ Radio 1 and on social channels across a packed summer of sport.
James McClean, Shay Given, Ronnie Whelan, Ray Houghton, Dietmar Hamann, Áine O’Gorman, Kenny Cunningham, Stephen Kelly, Keith Treacy, Richie Sadlier, Alan Cawley, Kevin Doyle and Niamh Fahey will be among the names on the RTÉ Sport World Cup panel.
Joanne Cantwell, Peter Collins, Marie Crowe, Jacqui Hurley, Clare MacNamara, Tony O’Donoghue will all be taking their turns in the presenter’s chair.
Des Curran, Darragh Maloney, Adrian Eames, John Kenny and Cathal Mullaney will call all the action.
RTÉ Player will bring fans every moment of the FIFA World Cup, streaming all 104 games live and bringing Irish audiences closer to the action than ever before.
With matches taking place across multiple time zones, RTÉ Player will give viewers the opportunity to watch the tournament with complete flexibility offering highlights, match clips and a dedicated FIFA World Cup Collection page that keeps supporters up to date round the clock.
A FIFA World Cup pop‑up channel will be available throughout the competition, offering a continuous stream of content to keep fans immersed in the action, whenever they choose to watch. RTÉ Cork will bring their distinctive take on the tournament to football fans which will be available on this channel.
On RTÉ Radio 1, Marie Crowe and Jacqui Hurley will continue to bring you all the action from North America on Inside Sport with daily updates throughout the programme.
Inside Sport will launch RTÉ’s FIFA World Cup offering today at 6pm with Ray Houghton, Áine O’Gorman, Darragh Maloney, Alan Cawley, and Paul Corry joining the discussion, the programme which will air tonight on RTÉ Radio 1 at 6pm
RTÉ Sport online will have a live blog and report of every game, with goals and major incidents also shared on social channels.
There will be highlights of every game on the RTÉ Sport website and RTÉ Sport YouTube page. Raf Diallo will host additional episodes of the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, where he will be joined by RTÉ commentators and co-commentators in North America, as well as expert TV pundits.
RTÉ KIDS has once again partnered with the FAI for Total Football season two, which will air as part of RTÉ’s FIFA World Cup coverage.
Kicking off next Tuesday at 5.30pm on RTÉ2 and dropping the full series on RTÉ Player on the same day, Total Football offers young viewers an engaging look at every corner of the sport.
Group Head of RTE Sport, Declan McBennett, said: "This World Cup is unlike anything we’ve seen before, not just in its size but in the way fans will experience it.
"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."
Watch every game of the FIFA 2026 World Cup live on RTÉ with highlights on RTÉ Sport digital platforms and live blogs on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app
