BBC World Cup 2026
- Location:
- Salford, United Kingdom
- Affiliation:
- BBC
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BBC Sport built its 2026 FIFA World Cup studio at dock10 in Salford, using physical scenery and virtual production to connect the coverage with host cities across North America.
The design combined an LED volume with architectural elements inspired by a New York apartment, giving presenters real surfaces and objects within the digital environment. Three presentation areas supported seated discussion, standing segments and tactical analysis, including a hydraulic desk that could change height and an LED floor displaying a soccer pitch beneath a glass surface.
High-resolution photographs of host cities were layered in Unreal Engine and enhanced with changing skies, water, lighting and camera parallax.
The studio could shift among daytime, dusk, overcast and nighttime versions of each location as the tournament schedule changed. Parts of the physical set and a smaller LED installation were planned for reuse in BBC Sport’s regular soccer programming after the World Cup.
Explore more:
Sports Broadcast Studio, Virtual Set