BBC extends deal to show every Wales men’s international

Nation.Cymru Staff

Football fans in Wales will be able to watch every men’s international match live and free-to-air until 2028 after the BBC extended its broadcasting deal with UEFA.

The extension of the rights agreement for a further two years also ensures every Scotland and Northern Ireland senior men’s international football match will remain live and free-to-air.

The new agreement will see the BBC broadcast around 60 live matches, including this autumn’s UEFA Nations League fixtures and every European Qualifier to EURO 2028 involving the three nations.

The extension builds on a successful partnership that has made the BBC the home of international football for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland since March 2025.

Since then, record audiences have followed moments in recent football history, with Scotland’s World Cup-clinching victory over Denmark attracting 1.1 million viewers in Scotland and an average audience of 2.7 million across the UK.

1.71 million viewers across the UK watched Wales play Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup qualifier play-off semi-finals, with 280,000 watching in Wales.

Northern Ireland’s qualifier against Germany in the Group Stage was watched by an average audience of 1.11m UK-wide and 121,000 people watching in Northern Ireland alone.

This summer’s FIFA World Cup coverage has continued that momentum. Scotland’s opening group-stage match against Haiti drew a peak audience of 2.8 million viewers on BBC One and iPlayer, despite a 2am BST kick-off.

An average audience of 2.4 million watched the match, with 78% of all television viewers across the UK tuned to BBC One, rising to an extraordinary 92% audience share in Scotland.

Fans have also engaged in record numbers across digital platforms, with highlights of Scotland v Haiti streamed more than 1.1 million times on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app, alongside more than 250,000 views on BBC Football’s YouTube channel.

Rhuanedd Richards, Interim Director of BBC Nations, said: “Extending this agreement is fantastic news for football fans across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, ensuring every match is available live and free-to-air on the BBC.

“These fixtures bring communities together and deliver some of the biggest shared moments in our sporting calendar. We’re proud to continue telling these stories and showcasing our nations’ teams.”

Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport, said: “International football creates moments that unite communities, spark national pride and generate huge audiences across every platform.

“We’re delighted to extend our partnership with UEFA and continue bringing every Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland men’s international match to fans free-to-air.

“Whether watching on television, streaming on iPlayer or following through the BBC Sport website, app or our social channels, audiences can be sure the BBC will be there for every crucial moment on the road to UEFA EURO 2028.”

The agreement further strengthens the BBC’s commitment to bringing major sporting moments to audiences across the UK, ensuring fans can continue to follow every step of their nations’ journeys to UEFA EURO 2028.

UEFA EURO 2028 will take place across nine stadiums in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and be show live across BBC television, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.