Forty-eight nations will compete for football's biggest prize across the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026—and the BBC Sport app is preparing fans for an unprecedented viewing experience. As the World Cup expands to its largest format ever, the broadcaster has unveiled a suite of innovative features designed to transform how audiences engage with the tournament, from 3D immersive match experiences to live scoreline updates delivered straight to your phone's lock screen.
The expansion of the World Cup reflects the sport's growing global appetite, and the BBC's technological response demonstrates how broadcasters are racing to meet fans where they are. Rather than simply streaming matches, the BBC is betting that viewers want deeper control, richer context, and faster access to the moments that matter—whether that's a goal replay from their favourite player's perspective or a breaking news clip that captures the drama in seconds.
The most striking new feature is the 3D World Cup experience, an immersive tool that lets fans watch live matches, replays, and highlights from any angle they choose. Users can rewind epic moments, see passes and formations unfold from the pitch itself, and relive goals from a player's point of view. The feature arrives just in time for Canada's opening match against Bosnia & Herzegovina on Friday, 12 June at 20:00 BST, giving the host nation's fans a chance to experience their team's campaign in unprecedented detail. Live match data and stats accompany the 3D view, transforming the app into a genuine second-screen experience for serious tacticians.
For casual viewers and committed followers alike, simpler features address the everyday frustration of staying updated. Live lock-screen notifications will now deliver score updates throughout the 90 minutes—and beyond—as your team plays. Users can follow their preferred nations and customize their experience, even swiping away spoilers if they prefer to watch matches later. This might sound modest, but it represents a subtle shift toward treating fans' attention as precious and personalisable.
BBC Shorts rounds out the package with a new vertical-scrolling video feed designed specifically for mobile consumption. Breaking news, interviews, behind-the-scenes moments, and highlights arrive in quick, fullscreen bursts—no distractions, no algorithmic chaos, just trusted editorial judgment in bite-sized form. For audiences accustomed to social media's chaotic algorithm, the promise of curated sports content from a respected broadcaster may feel refreshing.
Beyond watching, the BBC is inviting fans into participation. The predictor game challenges users to forecast every World Cup result and compete globally, with the added incentive of a prize draw offering an official World Cup football signed by BBC commentators. New daily quizzes and a "Guess the World Cup Star" game fill the space between matches.
Meanwhile, the app's improved search function now returns both articles and topics, helping fans navigate match build-ups, reports, and tactical analysis with greater speed. And for viewers wanting to follow a specific country throughout the tournament, the "My Sport" feature customises your home screen around your preferred nation.
These tools matter because they acknowledge a simple truth: the World Cup is no longer a passive experience consumed by millions simultaneously. It's an event where fans juggle multiple time zones, follow multiple teams, and want both the thrill of live drama and the tactical depth of expert analysis. The BBC's wager is that by giving audiences unprecedented control over how they watch—and what they watch—the sport's biggest tournament becomes not just bigger, but more personal.