Sports
20 Greatest NBA Players in History Named and Ranked By Fans
The debate regarding who truly is the greatest basketball player of all time is a topic that has always been on the lips of NBA fans. It remains one of the fiercest arguments in all of sport, with a handful of superstars holding equally valid claims to the crown.
To finally settle the debate, the fan-voting platform Ranker put the ultimate question to the public, and the top 20 has been revealed.
|
20 greatest NBA players of all time ranked by fans (20-11) |
|
|---|---|
|
Position |
Player |
|
20. |
Giannis Antetokounmpo |
|
19. |
Dwyane Wade |
|
18. |
David Robinson |
|
17. |
Jerry West |
|
16. |
Nikola Jokic |
|
15. |
Kevin Garnett |
|
14. |
Dirk Nowitzki |
|
13. |
Kevin Durant |
|
12. |
Steph Curry |
|
11. |
Hakeem Olajuwon |
10
Bill Russell
There might not be a more prolific winner in the history of North American sports than Bill Russell. Anchoring the legendary Boston Celtics dynasty, Russell collected an unfathomable 11 NBA Championships in just 13 seasons, including eight consecutive titles between 1959 and 1966.
His list of achievements is also staggering: five regular-season MVP awards and 12 All-Star selections. Russell also made history in 1966 when he became the first black head coach in major US professional sports. His defensive genius and unparalleled leadership make him a worthy top-10 lock.
9
Wilt Chamberlain
When Wilt Chamberlain joined the NBA, he was a statistical anomaly that forced the NBA to literally change its rulebook. The 7-foot-1 Philadelphia native holds over 70 NBA records, the most famous being his 100-point game in 1962.
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Chamberlain captured two NBA titles, one with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967 and another with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972, while picking up four MVP awards along the way. Even with modern debates about the era he played in, the sheer magnitude of Chamberlain’s physical and statistical dominance remains undeniable.
8
Shaquille O’Neal
You would struggle to find a more physically imposing and terrifying force in NBA history than Shaq. O’Neal bulldozed his way to four championship rings, famously teaming up with Kobe Bryant to create one of the most iconic partnerships in NBA history as the Lakers three-peated the championship in the early 2000s.
A three-time Finals MVP and member of the 1996 Olympic “Dream Team”, Shaq was virtually unguardable on his day. In a testament to his lasting impact, three different franchises – the Orlando Magic, LA Lakers, and Miami Heat – have all retired his jersey.
7
Tim Duncan
Nicknamed “The Big Fundamental”, Duncan spent his entire 19-year career with the San Antonio Spurs, quietly transforming them into a dynasty.
Duncan walked away from the sport with five championship rings, three Finals MVPs, and two regular-season MVP awards. Widely considered the greatest power forward to ever pick up a basketball, he remains the only player in NBA history to be selected in both the All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams for 13 consecutive seasons.
6
Kobe Bryant
The Los Angeles icon, Kobe Bryant, cemented himself as a global phenomenon during his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Picking up five NBA championships and delivering a legendary 81-point game in 2006, Bryant’s lethal scoring ability and obsessive drive to win made him one of the most feared competitors in sport history. The 18-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medallist tragically passed away in 2020, but his cultural impact and legacy as an all-time great are forever remembered by those connected to the game.
5
Magic Johnson
Before the high-flying heroics of the modern era, there was Magic. Standing at a towering 6-foot-9, Magic Johnson revolutionised the point guard position, orchestrating the famous “Showtime Lakers” of the 1980s with a dazzling array of no-look passes and fast-break offence.
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Spending his entire career in purple and gold, Johnson secured five NBA championships, three MVP awards, and three Finals MVPs. He is universally recognised as one of the greatest floor generals to ever step onto the court.
4
Larry Bird
Larry Bird was the ultimate all-around forward and one of the deadliest shooters the league has ever witnessed. Long before the three-point revolution, “Larry Legend” was stretching defences and single-handedly redefining the small forward position.
The undisputed star of the iconic 1980s Boston Celtics squad, Bird captured three NBA championships in the 1980s and managed the incredibly rare feat of winning three consecutive regular-season MVP awards. A legendary trash-talker with the skills to back it up, Bird’s iconic rivalry with Magic Johnson revitalised the NBA and laid the groundwork for its modern success.
3
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Across an astonishing 20-year career split between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers, Kareem secured six NBA championships, 19 All-Star nods, and a record-setting six regular-season MVP awards.
Armed with the unblockable “skyhook” shot, Abdul-Jabbar held the NBA’s all-time scoring record for nearly four decades with 38,387 points.
2
LeBron James
LeBron James is the defining player of the 21st century. Having shattered the seemingly unbreakable all-time scoring record, recently surging past an astronomical 43,000 regular-season points, LeBron’s longevity and sustained peak are completely unprecedented in basketball history.
Boasting four NBA championships with three different franchises, LeBron’s historic 2016 Finals comeback against the Golden State Warriors remains his crowning achievement. Now into his 40s and remarkably still producing at an elite level, his all-around prowess on the court keeps him consistently in the GOAT conversation.
1
Michael Jordan
It comes as no surprise that the fans have crowned “His Airness” with the number one spot. With a flawless 6-0 record in the NBA Finals and six Finals MVPs with the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan dominated basketball, but also transcended sport entirely.
Holding the highest regular-season scoring average in NBA history (30.1 points per game), Jordan was breathtakingly athletic. He defined the culture of 1990s basketball and became a global billionaire icon off the court through his legendary Air Jordan partnership with Nike. For the fans, MJ remains the undisputed greatest of all time.
Summary
- Transfer fees in the Premier League have skyrocketed with each passing decade.
- However, the current record-breaking signings, such as Florian Wirtz and Declan Rice, would not make the top 20 most expensive transfers when adjusted for inflation.
- Players like Stan Collymore are surprising inclusions.
Transfer fees have well and truly skyrocketed in recent years. A Premier League player that was worth £20 million in the mid-2000s may have been worth five, six or even seven times that amount in today’s market.
Even at the turn of the 2010s, £50 million felt like an astronomical amount of money for a Premier League club to spend on a player. Now we see it happen regularly, sometimes on footballers who aren’t anywhere near the world-class category.
Five Premier League footballers have been signed for £100 million or more at the time of writing: Jack Grealish to Manchester City (£100 million), Declan Rice to Arsenal (£105 million), Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea (£106.8 million), Moises Caicedo to Chelsea (£115 million), Florian Wirtz to Liverpool (£116 million) and Alexander Isak to Liverpool (£125 million). However, none of them would make the top 10 most expensive Premier League transfers of all time when you take inflation into consideration.
Courtesy of finance expert Kieran Maguire’s data, here are the 20 most expensive Premier League players ever based on inflation-adjusted transfer fees. You might want to grab a tissue before these figures are eye-watering.
21
Les Ferdinand | Newcastle United (1995)
Original fee: £6 million. Inflated fee: £117.6million
Perhaps Keegan was so prepared to let Cole go because he knew he had Les Ferdinand in his ranks. Having joined from QPR for £6 million, the move was seen as a major coup for Newcastle, who were looking to build a title-contending side under them and had just added one of the best front-men in the country to the squad. Ferdinand had been a consistent goalscorer at QPR, and expectations were high.
At his new club, Ferdinand quickly proved his worth, forming a lethal partnership with David Ginola and later Alan Shearer, and scoring 29 goals in his debut season.
|
Les Ferdinand’s Premier League stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
349 |
|
Goals |
149 |
|
Assists |
44 |
|
Player of the Month awards |
0 |
|
Premier League titles |
0 |
20
Michael Essien | Chelsea (2005)
Original fee: £24.4 million. Inflated fee: £119.9 million
After winning the Premier League at a canter in the 2004/05 campaign, Jose Mourinho decided he wanted a midfielder who he could pair alongside Claude Makelele and Frank Lampard.
He settled on Michael Essien, who joined the club in a £24.4 million deal from Lyon. A combative footballer who could defend as well as attack, the Ghanaian played a pivotal role as Chelsea retained their Premier League title in the 2005/06 season.
Essien was plagued with injury problems towards the end of his nine-year stint at Chelsea, limiting his impact. But, by the time he had left the club in 2014, he had more than justified his price-tag.
|
Michael Essien’s Premier League stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
168 |
|
Goals |
17 |
|
Assists |
11 |
|
Player of the Month awards |
0 |
|
Premier League titles |
2 |
19
Enzo Fernandez | Chelsea (2022)
Original fee: £106.8 million. Inflated fee: £120.2 million
Enzo Fernandez became a man in demand following his performances at the 2022 World Cup. He was given the FIFA World Cup Young Player Award following his brilliance in Qatar.
A month later, in the January transfer window, Chelsea made their move. The Blues desperately wanted to sign the Benfica star and, after a lengthy saga, they eventually got their man on transfer deadline day as he completed a £106.8m move, a then British transfer record.
Has Fernandez lived up to expectations? That is debatable. He has had his moments in a blue shirt, though, and remains a key player for the club going forward.
|
Enzo Fernandez’s Premier League stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
118 |
|
Goals |
19 |
|
Assists |
10 |
|
Player of the Month awards |
0 |
|
Premier League titles |
0 |
18
Angel Di Maria | Manchester United (2014)
Original fee: £59.7 million. Inflated fee: £121.3 million
Angel Di Maria has unquestionably been a wonderful player during his illustrious career. Now a World Cup winner, the Argentina winger will surely have regrets over how his ill-fated move to Manchester United panned out.
Quite simply, Louis van Gaal was completely the wrong manager for Di Maria, who was unable to flourish under a coach who wanted his United players to perform like robots. Fans at Old Trafford only saw flashes of brilliance from the former Real Madrid star, whose family were unfortunately subjected to a traumatic burglary incident during their time living in Manchester.
|
Angel Di Maria’s Premier League stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
27 |
|
Goals |
3 |
|
Assists |
10 |
|
Player of the Month awards |
0 |
|
Premier League titles |
0 |
17
Romelu Lukaku | Chelsea (2022)
Original fee: £97.5 million. Inflated fee: £122 million
If there’s a player who knows a thing or two about demanding hefty transfer fees, it’s Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian has made some serious moves in his career for some serious cash, and not many were more high-profile than when he joined Chelsea for the second time in 2021.
His signing turned out to be a disaster, though. Just months after signing, he gave an incredible interview where he hit out at manager Thomas Tuchel and underlined his unhappiness at the club.
The following summer, he completed a season-long loan move back to Inter Milan. After another season-long loan at Roma, he made a €30 million to Napoli in the summer of 2024.
|
Romelu Lukaku’s Premier League stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
278 |
|
Goals |
121 |
|
Assists |
37 |
|
Player of the Month awards |
1 |
|
Premier League titles |
0 |
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16
Moises Caicedo | Chelsea (2023)
Original fee: £115 million. Inflated fee: £123.6 million
Moises Caicedo became one of the most expensive players in Premier League history when he joined Chelsea. The poster boy of Brighton’s buy-low, sell-high methodology in the transfer market, the Ecuadorian saw his value skyrocket during his time on the South Coast, which eventually led to his £115 million move in 2023 to Stamford Bridge.
Given that this was only three years ago, the inflated price was never going to be as dramatic as fees in the nineties or noughties. Yet, in a short space of time, the midfielder’s fee has risen by nearly £10 million, earning him a place at the bottom of this pile.
|
Moises Caicedo’s Premier League stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
151 |
|
Goals |
7 |
|
Assists |
10 |
|
Player of the Month awards |
0 |
|
Premier League titles |
0 |
15
Didier Drogba | Chelsea (2004)
Original fee: £24 million. Inflated fee: £123.9 million.
Arguably the greatest player in Chelsea’s history, with the possible exception of Frank Lampard and John Terry, Didier Drogba was worth every penny of the £24 million that the Blues paid Marseille in 2004. In 381 appearances for the club, Drogba scored 163 goals – 104 of which were netted in the Premier League.
Would a club in 2025 pay £126 million for a 26-year-old Drogba? It’s certainly not beyond the realms of possibility. There aren’t too many centre-forwards like Drogba in today’s game and there’s no doubt that he’d score plenty of goals in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
|
Didier Drogba’s Premier League stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
254 |
|
Goals |
104 |
|
Assists |
55 |
|
Player of the Month awards |
0 |
|
Premier League titles |
4 |
14
Alexander Isak | Liverpool (2025)
Original fee: £125 million. Inflated fee: £125 million
After winning the Premier League in 2024/25, Arne Slot and Liverpool decided to splash the cash. One of the positions they wanted to improve was at striker. The Reds signed Hugo Ekitike, while they also registered their interest in Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.
Made aware of Liverpool’s interest, Isak informed Newcastle that he wished to explore a move away from the club. The following month, he went on strike in an attempt to force through a move to the Reds and also made his unhappiness public. He finally got his way later that summer as Liverpool made him the third-most expensive player of all-time.
Big things were expected of Isak in his first campaign at the Reds, but he had a nightmare campaign, with fitness problems limiting him to just four goals. Time will tell whether he comes good.
|
Alexander Isak’s Premier League stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
100 |
|
Goals |
57 |
|
Assists |
11 |
|
Player of the Month awards |
1 |
|
Premier League titles |
0 |
13
Jack Grealish | Manchester City (2021)
Original fee: £100 million. Inflated fee: £125.1 million
Everything about Jack Grealish‘s move to Manchester City screamed expensive. Premier League clubs always have to pay a premium for top English talent, and at the time, there was no one with more spotlight on them than the Aston Villa captain. The Midlands club were not accepting anything less than his £100 million release clause which is now worth £125 million thanks to inflation.
With Grealish’s future at the Etihad now up in the air, there is no doubt that City will fail to recoup similar money as the Englishman has not performed to the level that the fee would’ve demanded of him.
|
Jack Grealish’s Premier League stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
210 |
|
Goals |
29 |
|
Assists |
37 |
|
Player of the Month awards |
1 |
|
Premier League titles |
3 |
12
Rio Ferdinand | Leeds United (2000)
Original fee: £18 million. Inflated fee: £131.8 million
Rio Ferdinand quickly established himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League after making his debut for West Ham United in 1995. Five years later, Ferdinand joined Leeds United for £18 million. The move smashed the British transfer record, while he also became the world’s most expensive defender.
Leeds were confident that Ferdinand represented good value for money, and they were proved to be correct. Unfortunately for Leeds, their dire financial situation meant they were forced to sell the Englishman just a few years later. In 2022, he departed the club in a £30 million move to Manchester United.
|
Rio Ferdinand’s Premier League stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
504 |
|
Goals |
11 |
|
Assists |
8 |
|
Player of the Month awards |
1 |
|
Premier League titles |
6 |
With a record 48 teams involved this year, the 2026 World Cup will be the biggest international football tournament in history and fans from all over the planet will be tuning in to get a glimpse of the action. With the United States, Canada and Mexico hosting fixtures across the continent, FIFA President Gianni Infantino promised the competition is the equivalent to “104 Super Bowls”, so there is plenty to live up to.
Luckily for Infantino, the star power of teams such as Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Portugal and more will be on display, with some of the best players in the world set to showcase their abundant skills. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are set for one last crusade, while young upstarts such as Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe will be determined to make history.
With the games being played in North America, football fans in the United Kingdom will have to contend with time difference issues, with some matches occurring in the early hours of the morning and others taking place late at night. England supporters have a relatively manageable schedule, but those wishing to watch Scotland will have a few late nights ahead of them.
Here, GIVEMESPORT brings you the full World Cup 2026 television and streaming schedule, with all times in UK time.
World Cup 2026 on UK TV
World Cup 2026 broadcasting rights in the United Kingdom are split between the free-to-air BBC and ITV, with the two networks splitting the fixtures. As well as the channel BBC One, games will be available to stream on the BBC iPlayer, while some games will also be shown on BBC Two. Most of ITV’s games can be watched on ITV1 or ITVX, with occasional games available to watch on ITV4.
BBC One Channel Numbers
- Freeview: Channel 101, Channel 1
- Freesat: Channel 101
- Sky: Channel 101
- Virgin Media: Channel 101
- Sky Glass: Channel 101
- Freely: Channel 1
ITV1 Channel Numbers
- Freeview: Channel 103, Channel 3
- Freesat: Channel 103
- Sky: Channel 103
- Virgin Media: Channel 103
- Sky Glass: Channel 103
- Freely: Channel 3
Full World Cup 2026 TV Schedule
The complete TV schedule for World Cup 2026 fixtures can be seen below. All times are BST.
Games involving England and Scotland are highlighted in bold.
Thursday June 11, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
8pm |
Mexico vs South Africa |
Group A |
ITV1, ITVX |
Friday June 12, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
3am |
South Korea vs Czechia |
Group A |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
8pm |
Canada vs Bosnia-Herzegovina |
Group B |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
Saturday June 13, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2am |
USA vs Paraguay |
Group D |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
8pm |
Qatar vs Switzerland |
Group B |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
11pm |
Brazil vs Morocco |
Group C |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
Sunday June 14, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2am |
Haiti vs Scotland |
Group C |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
5am |
Australia vs Turkey |
Group D |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
6pm |
Germany vs Curacao |
Group E |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
9pm |
Netherlands vs Japan |
Group F |
ITV1, ITVX |
Monday June 15, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
00:00am |
Ivory Coast vs Ecuador |
Group E |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
3am |
Sweden vs Tunisia |
Group F |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
5pm |
Spain vs Cape Verde |
Group H |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
8pm |
Belgium vs Egypt |
Group G |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
11pm |
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay |
Group H |
ITV1, ITVX |
Tuesday June 16, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2am |
Iran vs New Zealand |
Group G |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
8pm |
France vs Senegal |
Group I |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
11pm |
Iraq vs Norway |
Group I |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
Wednesday June 17, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2am |
Argentina vs Algeria |
Group J |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
5am |
Austria vs Jordan |
Group J |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
6pm |
Portugal vs DR Congo |
Group K |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
9pm |
England vs Croatia |
Group L |
ITV1, ITVX |
Thursday June 18, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
00:00am |
Ghana vs Panama |
Group L |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
3am |
Uzbekistan vs Colombia |
Group K |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
5pm |
Czechia vs South Africa |
Group A |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
8pm |
Switzerland vs Bosnia-Herzegovina |
Group B |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
11pm |
Canada vs Qatar |
Group B |
ITV1, ITVX |
Friday June 19, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2am |
Mexico vs South Korea |
Group A |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
8pm |
USA vs Australia |
Group D |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
11pm |
Scotland vs Morocco |
Group C |
ITV1, ITVX |
Saturday June 20, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2am |
Brazil vs Haiti |
Group C |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
5am |
Turkey vs Paraguay |
Group D |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
6pm |
Netherlands vs Sweden |
Group F |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
9pm |
Germany vs Ivory Coast |
Group E |
ITV1, ITVX |
Sunday June 21, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1am |
Ecuador vs Curacao |
Group E |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
5am |
Tunisia vs Japan |
Group F |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
5pm |
Spain vs Saudi Arabia |
Group H |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
8pm |
Belgium vs Iran |
Group G |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
11pm |
Uruguay vs Cape Verde |
Group H |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
Monday June 22, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2am |
New Zealand vs Egypt |
Group G |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
6pm |
Argentina vs Austria |
Group J |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
10pm |
France vs Iraq |
Group I |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
Tuesday June 23, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1am |
Norway vs Senegal |
Group I |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
4am |
Jordan vs Algeria |
Group J |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
6pm |
Portugal vs Uzbekistan |
Group K |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
9pm |
England vs Ghana |
Group L |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
Wednesday June 24, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
00:00am |
Panama vs Croatia |
Group L |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
3am |
Colombia vs DR Congo |
Group K |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
8pm |
Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Qatar |
Group B |
ITV4, ITVX |
|
8pm |
Switzerland vs Canada |
Group B |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
11pm |
Morocco vs Haiti |
Group C |
BBC Two, BBC iPlayer |
|
11pm |
Scotland vs Brazil |
Group C |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
Thursday June 25, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2am |
Czechia vs Mexico |
Group A |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
2am |
South Africa vs South Korea |
Group A |
BBC Two, BBC iPlayer |
|
9pm |
Curacao vs Ivory Coast |
Group E |
BBC Two, BBC iPlayer |
|
9pm |
Ecuador vs Germany |
Group E |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
Friday June 26, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
00:00am |
Japan vs Sweden |
Group F |
BBC Two, BBC iPlayer |
|
00:00am |
Tunisia vs Netherlands |
Group F |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
3am |
Paraguay vs Australia |
Group D |
ITV4, ITVX |
|
3am |
Turkey vs USA |
Group D |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
8pm |
Norway vs France |
Group I |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
8pm |
Senegal vs Iraq |
Group I |
ITV4, ITVX |
Saturday June 27, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1am |
Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia |
Group H |
ITV4, ITVX |
|
1am |
Uruguay vs Spain |
Group H |
ITV1, ITVX |
|
4am |
Egypt vs Iran |
Group G |
BBC Two, BBC iPlayer |
|
4am |
New Zealand vs Belgium |
Group G |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
10pm |
Croatia vs Ghana |
Group L |
ITV4, ITVX |
|
10pm |
Panama vs England |
Group L |
ITV1, ITVX |
Sunday June 28, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
00:30am |
Colombia vs Portugal |
Group K |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
00:30am |
DR Congo vs Uzbekistan |
Group K |
BBC Two, BBC iPlayer |
|
3am |
Algeria vs Austria |
Group J |
BBC Two, BBC iPlayer |
|
3am |
Jordan vs Argentina |
Group J |
BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
|
8pm |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
Monday June 29, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
6pm |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
|
9:30pm |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
Tuesday June 30, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2am |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
|
6pm |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
|
10pm |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
Wednesday July 1, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2am |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
|
5pm |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
|
9pm |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
Thursday July 2, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1am |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
|
8pm |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
Friday July 3, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
00:00am |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
|
4am |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
|
7pm |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
|
11pm |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
Saturday July 4, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2:30am |
TBC |
Round of 32 |
TBC |
|
6pm |
TBC |
Round of 16 |
TBC |
|
10pm |
TBC |
Round of 16 |
TBC |
Sunday July 5, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
9pm |
TBC |
Round of 16 |
TBC |
Monday July 6, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1am |
TBC |
Round of 16 |
TBC |
|
8pm |
TBC |
Round of 16 |
TBC |
Tuesday July 7, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1am |
TBC |
Round of 16 |
TBC |
|
5pm |
TBC |
Round of 16 |
TBC |
|
9pm |
TBC |
Round of 16 |
TBC |
Thursday July 9, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
9pm |
TBC |
Quarter-final |
TBC |
Friday July 10, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
8pm |
TBC |
Quarter-final |
TBC |
Saturday July 11, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
10pm |
TBC |
Quarter-final |
TBC |
Sunday July 12, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2am |
TBC |
Quarter-final |
TBC |
Tuesday July 14, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
8pm |
TBC |
Semi-final |
TBC |
Wednesday July 15, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
8pm |
TBC |
Semi-final |
TBC |
Saturday July 18, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
8pm |
TBC |
Third-place play-off |
TBC |
Sunday July 19, 2026
|
Kick-off Time |
Fixture |
Stage |
Channel & Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
8pm |
TBC |
World Cup final |
TBC |
Useful World Cup links
England at World Cup 2026: Fixtures, Kick-off Times & Three Lions’ Route to Final
The ultimate guide to following England through the 2026 World Cup, with schedule, TV information and more
Manchester United had a player who was even better than Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and should have won multiple Ballon d’Or awards.
That’s the verdict of former Man Utd youth player Reece Brown, younger brother of ex-England international Wes.
Lamine Yamal burst onto the scene in 2023, aged just 15, and is now widely regarded as one of the world’s best footballers. The 18-year-old is a contender to become the youngest-ever Ballon d’Or winner later this year and his odds of winning the prestigious individual accolade will shorten further if Spain win this summer’s World Cup.
The teenager has been so impressive that he’s even earned comparisons to Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer in history.
‘Ravel Morrison Was Better Than Lamine Yamal’
However, Brown claims Ravel Morrison was an even better footballer than Lamine Yamal and should have won multiple Ballon d’Or awards during his career.
Speaking on The Long Game podcast, Brown said of Morrison: “Best player I’ve ever seen in my life – no word of a lie. I’ve never seen anything like it, especially witnessing it with my own eyes.
“We came up through the system together. When I was Under-9s, he was Under-8s. Some of the stuff I’ve seen from him is absolutely frightening.
“One of the moments that stick out was when we played against Leeds in the youth team. The left-back got injured, and Rav was playing up [the pitch]. [The manager] was going to do a substitution and Rav goes ‘no, I’ll play there’. He scored four and set up six [from left-back].”
Brown continued: “It was a joke. Every time I got the ball, it was just ‘give it to Rav’.
“What I like to say to anyone who doesn’t know Rav is just watch Lamine Yamal and some of the stuff he does now… [Ravel] was doing that better.”
Brown added: “He should have Ballon d’Or awards, Ravel. One hundred per cent. I’m talking a lot of Ballon d’Or awards as well but it is what it is.
“He still had a good career, though, can’t say he’s not had a good career. But I think he realised it just a bit too late, or tried to change it a little bit too late.” Watch the clip below:
Sir Alex Ferguson Was Also Amazed by Morrison’s Talent
While it may sound like hyperbole, one man likely to concur with Brown is arguably the greatest manager in football history, Sir Alex Ferguson.
Casting his mind back to a training session, former United star Rio Ferdinand said in 2019: “Sir Alex Ferguson, I remember, he called me and Wazza [Wayne Rooney] over one day and said: “look at this kid, he’s better than you, Rooney when you were a kid, he’s better than you, Rio, better than Ryan Giggs when you were kids. This is the best kid you will ever see.”
Two years later, in 2021, Ferdinand asked Ferguson for his honest assessment of Morrison. Fergie replied: “Rio, my first and lasting impression of Ravel as a young lad was he has always got time and space, always available to be on the ball, so unusual for a young lad of his age. Give my regards to him, please.
“Another thing about Ravel which I’ve always treasured because no other young player who made their debut did it. After the first game in the first-team that he played, the next morning he came to my office and gave me a letter thanking me for giving him his debut. I was gobsmacked, Rio.
“The boy had a good heart, he was just beaten by his background.”
Morrison showed flashes of his brilliance after leaving Old Trafford in 2012 – most notably a stunning solo goal for West Ham against Tottenham in October 2013 – but ultimately failed to justify the hype.
While the 33-year-old’s career has taken him all over the world, and led to 21 caps for Jamaica’s national team, there will always be a huge question of ‘what if?’ hanging over him.
Morrison currently plies his trade with Arabian Falcons FC, where he plays under former England midfielder Jonjo Shelvey in the UAE Second Division.
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