The England ITV curse is part of the discussion around any international tournament these days, on a list with goalkeepers complaining about the new ball and newspapers ramping up the clamour for one of the bench to be given a start based on club form.
Let's fill you in: some people believe that England play worse on old Channel 3, despite the fact that it couldn't possibly make the blindest bit of difference. Yet sure enough, the discourse is back for Euro 2024. As soon as the fixture came out, fans checked which TV channels had which games, just to plot a route to the final that avoids Mark Pougatch and his merry men.
Well, guess what? It's real – and England won't be winning a darn thing if it's not on the Beeb.
England's ITV curse: the numbers
Since 1998, England matches have been split across the BBC and ITV. 16 over on the former, 17 on the latter. Just look at how good the record is while Gary Lineker's overseeing things…
| Year | Opponent | Score, result |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Tunisia | 2-0, WON |
| 1998 | Colombia | 2-0, WON |
| 2002 | Argentina | 1-0, WON |
| 2002 | Nigeria | 1-1, DRAWN |
| 2002 | Denmark | 3-0, WON |
| 2002 | Brazil | 2-1, LOST |
| 2006 | Paraguay | 1-0, WON |
| 2006 | Ecuador | 1-0, WON |
| 2010 | Slovenia | 1-0, WON |
| 2010 | Germany | 4-1, LOST |
| 2014 | Italy | 2-1, LOST |
| 2018 | Tunisia | 2-1, WON |
| 2018 | Panama | 6-1, WON |
| 2018 | Sweden | 2-0, WON |
| 2022 | Iran | 6-2, WON |
| 2022 | Wales | 3-0, WON |
And now look at ITV…
England have a 75 per cent win ratio on the BBC during World Cups, which drops to just 18 per cent on ITV. 12 wins, a draw and three losses on Channel One… three wins, six draws and eight losses on Channel Three.
| Year | Opponent | Score, result |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Romania | 2-1, LOST |
| 1998 | Argentina | 2-2 p, LOST |
| 2002 | Sweden | 1-1, DRAWN |
| 2006 | Sweden | 2-2, DRAWN |
| 2006 | Trinidad & Tobago | 2-0, WON |
| 2006 | Portugal | 0-0 p, LOST |
| 2010 | United States | 1-1, DRAWN |
| 2010 | Algeria | 0-0, DRAWN |
| 2014 | Uruguay | 2-1, LOST |
| 2014 | Costa Rica | 0-0, DRAWN |
| 2018 | Belgium | 1-0, LOST |
| 2018 | Colombia | 1-1 p, WON |
| 2018 | Croatia | 2-1, LOST |
| 2018 | Belgium | 2-0, LOST |
| 2022 | United States | 0-0, DRAWN |
| 2022 | Senegal | 3-0, WON |
| 2022 | France | 2-1, LOST |
It's a similar story for the Euros, in case you're wondering. Is it any wonder that 25 million watched the final on the BBC in 2021, compared to the six million who watched on ITV?
More Euro 2024 stories
We have a guide on how to get Euro 2024 tickets if you're still looking to go to the tournament. We have the run-down on Euro 2024 stadiums, with info on host cities, capacities, and everything you need to know.
We have a list of the Euro 2024 favourites, with best odds on nations to win European Championship in Germany, while these are the best Euros games ever and these are the best pundits ever. With England set to be one of the favourites, meanwhile, we've analysed what the pathway to the final could look like for the Three Lions.
With plenty of favourites for the tournament in 2024, here's a look at the previous records of some of the bigger nations at the tournament.
