FIFA and HBS Reflect on a Record-Scale 2026 World Cup Broadcast

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup neared its conclusion, FIFA and its host-broadcast partner, Host Broadcast Services (HBS), took stock of a production effort they described as the largest of its kind, according to Sports Video Group.

The tournament spanned 104 matches across 16 venues in three countries over 39 days. The production footprint also included an International Broadcast Center in Dallas and a Non-Live Production Hub in London. Sports Video Group reported that this made the World Cup the most complex and demanding host-broadcast operation the industry has seen.

Oscar Sanchez, head of broadcast production at FIFA, told Sports Video Group that the tournament had been unprecedented and set the tone for the future, adding that feedback from rightsholders had been extremely positive and that both host-country media partners and broadcasters worldwide had embraced the content. Gareth Jones, a director involved in the effort, said that with a few days still remaining, the operation had gone very well.