Google sponsoring ITV’s 2026 World Cup coverage
May 7, 2026
ITV, the UK commercial broadcaster has agreed a new partnership, through WPP Media, with Google to sponsor all of its coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer.
The sponsorship will run throughout ITV’s coverage of the tournament which starts on June 11th and runs for over five weeks in Canada, Mexico and the US.
Google will have sponsorship idents across all of ITV’s programming on ITV1, ITV4 and ITVX featuring Google Pixel and Google Gemini, Google’s AI assistant. Google will also feature across ITV’s digital and social inventory, spanning the likes of YouTube, X and ITVFootball social handles.
ITV will host the Opening Ceremony and opening match on June 11th as well as England’s first match of the tournament against Croatia live from Dallas kicking off at 9pm on June 17th, England’s final group-stage match against Panama, kick off 10pm on June 27th and Scotland’s group-stage match against Morocco, 11pm on June 19th.
Mark Trinder, ITV Director of Commercial Sales & Partnerships, commented: “Nothing brings people together for shared experiences like live sport and the 2026 FIFA World Cup is the biggest advertising opportunity for brands this year with the largest anticipated audiences. So we’re really excited to be working with such a global and iconic brand as Google as ITV’s sponsor for the tournament, bringing Google Pixel and Gemini to our millions of engaged viewers this summer.”
Eileen Mannion, VP Google Marketing said: “There is nothing quite like the incredible energy of a World Cup summer and we’re delighted to extend our ITV partnership during a time of such emotion and national unity. At Google, we have spent years finding new ways for fans to connect with the game they love. By bringing Google Pixel and Gemini into the coverage, we want to help fans really lean into the excitement of every match.”
Tom Lane, Partnerships Lead at WPP Media (Media Futures Group), added: “Google’s sponsorship of ITV’s World Cup coverage represents a significant milestone in a partnership that WPP has been proud to be a part of since the Qatar World Cup in 2022. Our work together has been defined by a dedicated focus on expanding Google’s footprint across international and domestic football. By focusing on both the men’s and women’s game, we are actively working to bridge the visibility gap in sports – a mission that has already resulted in award-winning creative output. We are excited to be continuing the journey with Google this summer, working with ITV to combine our expertise and bring the Tournament to life for millions of viewers.”
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