BBC viewers were left unimpressed as they tuned in to watch England play Ghana in the World Cup on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Gabby Logan hosted coverage of the Group L clash at Boston Stadium in the USA, with both nations playing their second fixture of the group stage. This marked only the second occasion these sides have ever met and the first time they have squared off in a competitive encounter. Their previous meeting came in March 2011, when former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan netted a stoppage-time equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium.
Buffering Issues Spark Viewer Frustration
Gabby was accompanied in the Salford studio by Joe Hart, Wayne Rooney and Micah Richards, while match commentary was provided by Guy Mowbray and Alan Shearer. Yet BBC viewers were swift to voice identical grievances regarding the broadcaster's coverage. Numerous supporters expressed frustration with the "buffering" coverage on iPlayer, while a live interview with British rapper Stormzy also drew criticism, reports the Mirror.
"England v Ghana on BBC iPlayer is buffering like crazy. It's not just iPlayer, games buffer on ITVX too. Happens on the big fixtures, obvs," one viewer posted on X (formerly Twitter), with another chiming in: "@BBCiPlayer not fit for purpose. Give me @itvx every time." A third commented: "@BBC what's going on," alongside a screenshot of the app failing to load.
Stormzy Interview Criticised as Waste of Licence Fee
Reacting to Stormzy's pre-match interview, one frustrated viewer wrote: "Dear BBC Sport. Football. Fans. Don't. Care. About. Celebrities. At. The. World. Cup. Stop it," while another fumed: "@BBCSport wasting licence payers cash yet again with a pointless interview with #Stormzy! Pathetic and nothing to do with football!" The criticism continued to pour in, with one viewer declaring: "BBC World Cup coverage is poor. S***," as another chimed in: "Their coverage of this #worldcup has been beyond woeful." A further disgruntled viewer remarked: "Congrats to ITV and the BBC for making the World Cup unwatchable."
Some Praise for Female Presenters
However, not everyone was dissatisfied, with some viewers heaping praise on the BBC's coverage, singling out lead presenters Gabby and Kelly Cates for particular commendation. "BBC coverage soo much better. Great female presenters with Gabby and Kelly. Miles better than ITV," one viewer enthused, with another concurring: "Yeah the female presenters are excellent."
England's Tournament Ambitions and Previous Setbacks
England will be aiming to progress to the knockout rounds for the third successive World Cup, having only been eliminated at the group stage once in their last seven tournament appearances. Tonight's wave of complaints follows a series of setbacks that have already plagued the BBC's coverage of the tournament. Presenter Gabby Logan made a notable political announcement during Monday's (June 22) live broadcast, just hours before coverage was pulled off air due to a delay to France and Iraq's fixture. FIFA released a statement following alerts of a "severe thunderstorm approaching" the Philadelphia stadium. Coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer and ITVX.
