The BBC has faced widespread mockery after a glaring error in their 2026 World Cup studio coverage, with Major League Soccer and NBA teams joining the chorus of ridicule.
Studio Blunder Exposed
During the group stage match between Portugal and DR Congo on Wednesday, June 17, the BBC's punditry team—including Mark Chapman, Wayne Rooney, Olivier Giroud, and Gael Clichy—was broadcast from the Salford MediaCity studio. A screen behind them displayed a stunning Houston skyline, reflecting the match's venue at Houston Stadium.
However, sharp-eyed viewers quickly noticed that the image had been doctored to include picturesque mountain ranges. Houston, which sits just 105 feet above sea level, has no such geographical features. Social media erupted with ridicule.
- One user posted: "The Houston mountains are actually gorgeous this time of year."
- Another wrote: "@BBC adding mountains to the green screen background of Houston is one of the most dubious things I've ever seen."
- A third quipped: "I moved from Houston to Colorado to get away from the mountains."
- A fourth joked: "The Houston mountains are usually snow-capped well into July, so this BBC photo might be a fake."
Teams Join the Fun
MLS side Houston Dynamo took a cheeky swipe on social media, posting a doctored image of their Shell Energy Stadium set against a dramatic, snow-covered mountain backdrop with the caption: "You just can't beat this view." The NBA's Houston Rockets also joined in, posting: "Just another beautiful day in the Houston Alps," alongside a mock-up postcard of the city nestled among towering peaks.
The BBC has since confirmed the background blunder has been rectified.
Criticism of Remote Coverage
The incident follows mounting criticism of the BBC's decision to broadcast the early stages of the World Cup from Salford rather than deploying staff to North America, citing environmental and financial reasons. Former Match of the Day host Gary Lineker voiced his disapproval, boasting in April about heading Stateside while his former employers remained "in Salford in a green box."
Boyd Hilton also expressed frustration on social media, calling it a "terrible decision" and describing broadcasting from a virtual studio in England as "weak sauce."
However, BBC Sport director Alex Kay-Jelski defended the setup, saying: "It's not a green box in Salford. It's a beautiful state-of-the-art studio. No one's seen it until now. I'm really proud of this." He added: "The actual end product people are getting at home, I don't really think it's that different. If these people were sitting somewhere else, would your viewing be massively changed?"
