The World Cup usually brings in the highest annual viewing figures in the UK when the greatest tournament on Earth hits our screens every four years.
And those on TV often become the stars of the whole World Cup show with daily appearances on the box.
Meet the BBC and ITV presenters and pundits who will front the World Cup 2022 TV coverage in the UK, with all 64 matches shown live across the two channels.
BBC
Gary Lineker
Lineker will once again be the main presenter for the BBC, having first hosted matches for them at the 1998 World Cup in France.
Lineker has revealed that the BBC will help to shine a light on the criticisms facing Qatar away from the football field, such as alleged human rights abuses and homophobia.
Lineker won the golden boot at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico with six goals.
Alan Shearer
Unsurprisingly, the Premier League’s record goalscorer will be in Qatar to provide his expert analysis on the action taking place on the pitch.
Shearer is a regular on Match of the Day and has been working as part of the BBC’s football coverage since 2006.
The Newcastle legend only featured in one World Cup – France 98 – scoring two goals in the process.
Rio Ferdinand
The former Manchester United and England defender has been working with the BBC at major tournaments since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Ferdinand also works as a pundit on BT Sport’s Premier League and Champions League coverage.
The former England captain represented the Three Lions in three World Cups in 1998, 2002 and 2006, and was ruled out of the 2010 World Cup after injuring his knee in the first training session after the team arrived in South Africa.
Didier Drogba
The Chelsea legend will be a popular addition to our screens over the winter.
Drogba was a pundit for the channel four years ago in Russia alongside ex-Blues teammate Frank Lampard.
The Premier League icon appeared in three World Cups for the Ivory Coast between 2006 and 2014, finding the back of the net twice for the West Africans.
Alex Scott
Scott is a regular guest host on The One Show and was part of the BBC team which covered Euro 2021 earlier this summer.
The ex-Arsenal star made 140 appearances for England and was part of the team which won the bronze medal at the 2015 World Cup in Canada.
Others on the BBC
Gabby Logan will share presenting duties with Lineker, while Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates will host coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Former Three Lions players Jermaine Jenas and Micah Richards will also provide punditry to the many millions watching on TV.
Ashely Williams, Ian Rush and Danny Gabbidon will provide analysis during Wales matches, in what will be the team’s second ever World Cup and first since 1958.
Meanwhile, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta, Jurgen Klinsmann, Gilberto Silva, Mark Schwarzer and Laura Georges will offer their international perspectives to complete the BBC’s TV punditry team.
ITV
Mark Pougatch
Popular Pougatch will be the main presenter for ITV’s coverage throughout November and December.
The 54 year-old began his role in the ITV hot seat for major tournaments at Euro 2016 in France.
Pougatch hosts Six Nations and Rugby World Cup coverage for the channel and he also presents shows on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Ian Wright
Wright has featured heavily on ITV’s coverage of the England men and women’s teams in recent months, having also worked for the BBC during previous major tournaments.
Wright won 33 caps for England but never played for the country at a major tournament.
Gary Neville
Neville will be temporarily swapping his role on Sky to support ITV’s coverage of the four week tournament.
Neville played for England in the 1998 and 2006 World Cup, but was ruled out of the 2002 edition with a broken foot.
Roy Keane
The explosive former Manchester United hardman will be heading to Qatar as one of the mainstays in ITV’s coverage.
Keane played every game for the Irish at the 1994 World Cup in the USA, including the famous 1-0 victory over tournament favourites and eventual runners-up Italy.
The Sky Sports pundit famously had a public quarrel with the Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy ahead of the 2002 World Cup in South Korea in Japan, which saw captain Keane sent home from the squad’s camp in Saipan before the tournament even began.
Joe Cole
Ex-England midfielder Joe Cole will head to the World Cup with ITV having featured in three World Cups for the national team between 2002 and 2010.
Cole is a regular face on BT Sport’s coverage of the Champions and Europa League.
Cole scored one of the most iconic England World Cup goals in history with a sublime volley in the 2-2 group stage draw with Sweden in 2006.
Others on ITV
Laura Woods and Seema Jaswal will share presenting responsibilities with Pougatch.
Former Lionesses Karen Carney and Eni Aluko will also be on hand to analyse the action from Qatar.
They will be joined in the studio by World Cup runner-up Nigel de Jong, Danish-Afghan forward Nadia Nadim and former Wales striker Hal Robdon-Kanu.
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