Touch World Cup on BBC Sport

The 2019 Touch World Cup will be live on the BBC Sport website and app and on BBC iPlayer, the first time the sport’s global showpiece has received such exposure.

BBC Sport will be streaming five hours per day from the tournament site in Putrajaya, Malaysia, between 6am and 11am UK time, following an agreement with Federation of International Touch (FIT) facilitated by England Touch's Chief Operating Officer Gregg Cropper and Marketing and PR Manager Chris Wearmouth.

Gary Reynolds, FIT Tournament Director, is delighted that BBC Sport has agreed to live stream the Touch World Cup.

“Having a broadcaster as prestigious as the BBC cover the Touch World Cup is a significant step forward for our sport,” he commented, “and it will showcase the event to a wider audience outside the traditional Touch community.

“On behalf of FIT, I’d like to thank the BBC for their support for the tournament, as well as Gregg Cropper and Chris Wearmouth from England Touch for making this agreement possible.

“This is the largest ever Touch World Cup with 117 teams from 26 nations competing over six packed days. There will be plenty of exciting action throughout the week for sports lovers to enjoy.”

Live streaming is now a regular feature of Touch tournaments across the globe, and viewing figures have been growing all the time along with participation and engagement in this exciting sport.

Over the last 12 months BBC Sport has covered several tournaments, including the 2018 European Touch Championships in Nottingham, England, as well as the Finals Day of the England Touch Nationals.

FIT has retained the services of UK-based 24/7 Media to manage the live streaming, utilising the production company’s experience both from the European Touch Championships and England Touch’s National Touch Series, as well as a wide range of other events.