BBC viewers left fuming over live coverage as they | UK News

BBC viewers have been left unimpressed as they tuned in to watch England play. Gabby Logan returned to screens on Tuesday (June 23) to entrance coverage of England’s Group L conflict against Ghana at Boston Stadium in the USA, with both nations taking part in their second fixture of the group stage. This marks only the second event these sides have ever met and the first time they have squared off in a aggressive encounter. Their earlier assembly got here back in March 2011, when former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan netted a stoppage-time equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium.

Gabby was accompanied in the Salford studio by Joe Hart, Wayne Rooney and Micah Richards, while match commentary was offered by Guy Mowbray and Alan Shearer. Yet BBC viewers have been swift to voice an identical grievances relating to the broadcaster’s coverage. Numerous supporters expressed frustration with the “buffering” coverage on iPlayer, while a live interview with British rapper Stormzy also drew criticism, stories the Mirror.

“England v Ghana on BBC iPlayer is buffering like crazy. It’s not just iPlayer, games buffer on ITVX too. Happens on the big fixtures, obvs,” one viewer posted on X (previously Twitter), with another chiming in: “@BBCiPlayer not fit for purpose. Give me @itvx every time.”

A 3rd commented: “@BBC what’s going on,” alongside a screenshot of the app failing to load. Reacting to Stormzy’s pre-match interview, one annoyed viewer wrote: “Dear BBC Sport. Football. Fans. Don’t. Care. About. Celebrities. At. The. World. Cup. Stop it,” while another fumed: “@BBCSport wasting licence payers cash yet again with a pointless interview with #Stormzy! Pathetic and nothing to do with football!”

The criticism continued to pour in, with one viewer declaring: “BBC World Cup coverage is poor. S***,” as another chimed in: “Their coverage of this #worldcup has been beyond woeful.”

An extra disgruntled viewer remarked: “Congrats to ITV and the BBC for making the World Cup unwatchable.”

However, not everybody was dissatisfied, with some viewers heaping reward on the BBC’s coverage, singling out lead presenters Gabby and Kelly Cates for explicit commendation.

“BBC coverage soo much better. Great female presenters with Gabby and Kelly. Miles better than ITV,” one viewer enthused, with another concurring: “Yeah the female presenters are excellent.”

England will probably be aiming to progress to the knockout rounds for the third successive World Cup, having only been eradicated at the group stage once in their last seven match appearances.

Tonight’s wave of complaints follows a sequence of setbacks that have already plagued the BBC’s coverage of the match. Presenter Gabby Logan made a notable political announcement during Monday’s (June 22) live broadcast, just hours before coverage was pulled off air due to a delay to France and Iraq’s fixture. FIFA launched a assertion following alerts of a “severe thunderstorm approaching” the Philadelphia stadium.

Coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is offered to stream on BBC iPlayer and ITVX