BBC beats Talksport to clinch World Cup rights

The BBC has beaten Talksport to the radio rights for all cricket World Cups for the next four years.

The deal with the International Cricket Council takes in all global events, starting with next month’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States. There is also a women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year.

Talksport bought the rights to England’s tour of India over the winter, and will broadcast the men’s tour of New Zealand this year. It has also held rights to tours to South Africa, Bangladesh, South Africa and West Indies in recent years.

The BBC has managed to hold on to many of the biggest deals, however. Notably, it will broadcast every ball of domestic and international cricket at home, as well as retaining the men’s and women’s Ashes. The rights to World Cups fit into this category too, especially as there is the women’s World Cup in England in 2026.

Next on the agenda for the BBC is the renewal of its TV rights deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board this year. It currently has the rights to broadcast games live in the men’s and women’s Hundred, four live international T20s (two men’s, two women’s), as well as all international highlights and, crucially, digital clips.