BBC iPlayer bringing football fans more from the World Cup

The BBC is bringing football home on iPlayer, offering fans more to watch to keep themselves immersed in the beautiful game throughout the tournament. Alongside comprehensive coverage on BBC One and Two, BBC iPlayer will host a stream called World Cup Extra, featuring exclusive build-up and post-match analysis for handpicked games throughout the tournament. Fans can also watch matches with alternative commentaries or in superb UHD quality.

World Cup Extra

A new pop-up stream called World Cup Extra will be live on BBC iPlayer throughout the tournament. The specially curated stream will include exclusive build up and post-match analysis for the biggest games, additional to what will be on BBC One.

World Cup Extra will also feature live coverage of selected matches throughout the tournament, showing a version with alternative commentary from BBC Radio 5 Live. The stream will show additional supporting programmes, including Match of the Day Top Ten,  plus documentaries including Messi, which tells the enigmatic Argentine superstar’s story; Together Stronger, the story of Wales's journey to their current status as tournament regulars;  and How to Win the World Cup in which former winners of the famous trophy explain how they did it.

Fascinating Football Documentaries

Two brand new documentaries are also now available for football fans to watch over the course of the World Cup.

Green Lions: Cameroon ‘90

Every World Cup has a team that captures the heart of the world, but maybe none has ever been as popular as the Cameroon side of 1990. When the Green Lions defeated reigning world champions Argentina in the opening game, it was arguably the biggest upset in World Cup history. Barely afforded a hope upon qualification, the Cameroon team provided joy at Italia ‘90, both on and off the pitch.

Green Lions tells the story of a team of amateurs who became heroes. Young men, and one ageing journeyman, who dared to dream, achieved the impossible and inspired a generation around the globe.

The Phenomenon: Ronaldo

In 1997 Ronaldo Nazario was, at only 21 years old, the best footballer on the planet and destined to become one of the sporting world’s immortalised names. Yet only a year later his global ambitions were crushed.

First he was blamed for Brazil’s World Cup final defeat to France, then he suffered back-to-back injures that threatened to end his career in its prime. A series of club transfers also saw him become a controversial figure on the professional football circuit. But two new knees and one World Cup later, Ronaldo was back on top.

The Phenomenon is a story of redemption chronicling Ronaldo’s comeback from the brink of forced retirement. Discussing the agony of his knee replacements, the crush of media scrutiny and the pressure to represent his country, this film features exclusive interviews with Ronaldo’s family, teammates and doctors. And for the first time ever on-screen, Ronaldo himself looks back at his own career and, alongside Roberto Carlos, reveals what really happened in room 290 of the Chateau de Grande Romaine hotel on the afternoon of the 1998 World Cup final.

Dan McGolpin, director of BBC iPlayer, said: “More and more people are going to BBC iPlayer for the biggest TV moments and enjoying the extra benefits that you get there, for the World Cup that means additional coverage before and after the big matches, alternative commentary from 5Live and every match live streamed in Ultra High Definition and High Dynamic Range.  Together with brand new some new documentaries about football’s biggest World Cup stars and of course a breath-taking range of alternatives to the football, BBC iPlayer will be the best place to be over the coming weeks”

The World Cup Extra schedule will be (all programmes subject to change):