BBC moves England v Argentina World Cup semi-final broadcast to Atlanta

Published Jul 14, 10:22 AM UTC

The BBC will present its coverage of England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina live from Atlanta, marking a shift from its Salford studio used for most of the tournament. The move comes as England seeks to reach its first World Cup final since 1966, with an 8pm UK kick-off on Wednesday. ITV attracted 18 million viewers for England's quarter-final win over Norway, a figure the BBC expects to surpass. Pundits Wayne Rooney and Micah Richards have joined Alan Shearer in Atlanta. The BBC's gamble on keeping first-pick matches for later stages appears justified, with record viewing figures anticipated. BBC Sport director Alex Kay-Jelski defended the Salford decision as a cost-saving measure, noting that sending hundreds of staff to the US would cost millions.