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    Wales clash with USA beats England’s thumping win over Iran in World Cup TV viewers war between BBC and ITV

    ENGLAND and Wales will be duking it out during the final game in the World Cup group stage next week. But another intense match over viewing figures is going on in the background between ITV and BBC.
    BBC’s World Cup coverage includes pundits such as Alex ScottCredit: Reuters
    ITV’s coverage features the likes of Roy Keane and Graeme SounessCredit: Getty
    The two TV channels are sharing the World Cup coverage rights with both hoping to eclipse the other in terms of ratings.
    And following the home nations opening matches ITV have taken first blood in this contest.
    As revealed by Lizo Mzimba, BBC viewing figures for England’s 6-2 thriller against Iran saw 7.38 million people tune in according to BARB overnight figures.
    This does not include viewing figures from other platforms.
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    However, Wales’ clash against the USA on ITV1 scored even higher viewing figures.
    Mzimba said: “An average audience of 9.39m TV viewers watched yesterday’s World Cup 1 -1 draw between Wales and USA on ITV (and ITV+1) between 1900 and 2100, according to BARB overnight figures.

    “This doesn’t include viewers watching on S4C or on other platforms.”
    A late Gareth Bale penalty saw Wales salvage a point in their first World Cup game for 64 years after Timothy Weah opened the goalscoring for the US in the first half.

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    ITV will be covering the next England game when they take on the USA on Friday.
    Meanwhile, BBC will be taking the coverage of Wales vs Iran before they take on both of the final games from Group B.
    Both channels have already had some major talking points during their coverage.
    BBC’s coverage of the World Cup’s opening game was criticised after they elected to not show the opening ceremony on BBC One.
    Meanwhile, on ITV Roy Keane and Graeme Souness were involved in a heated bust-up at half-time of Saudi Arabia’s shock victory over Argentina. More

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    Hilarious moment Gary Lineker trolls Micah Richards at start of BBC World Cup coverage of England vs Iran

    POOR Micah Richards was hilariously trolled by Gary Lineker ahead of England’s World Cup opener.The Three Lions began their campaign in Qatar with a brilliant 6-2 victory over Iran this afternoon.
    Micah Richards was hilariously trolled live on the BBCCredit: Getty
    Gary Lineker could not resist poking fun at his colleagueCredit: BBC

    Bukayo Saka grabbed two of the goals while Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford also got their names on the scoresheet.
    The match was being broadcast live on BBC One with ex-England striker Lineker on hosting duties.
    He was joined in the studio at the ground by a star-studded panel of Newcastle icon Alan Shearer, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand and former Man City defender Richards.
    Three out of the four represented the Three Lions at a World Cup back in their playing days.
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    And Lineker was quick to let the odd one out know about it right at the start of the show.
    He said: “Here at the Khalifa Stadium we are joined by two former England captains in Alan Shearer and Rio Ferdinand.
    “And after Fabio Capello in 2010 and Roy Hodgson in 2014 both left him out, finally, it’s a World Cup debut for Micah Richards.”
    A laughing Richards said: “I’m here! Thank you, thank you.” 
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    Despite the smiles in the studio, there were concerns elsewhere at the Beeb.
    Fans were left fuming after iPlayer went down and left them unable to watch or listen to the start of England’s World Cup adventure.
    Millions will have been tuning in to BBC One to catch all of the action from the game.
    However, loads were left raging after a problem with BBC’s iPlayer forced them to miss the kick-off, which led to Lineker apologising for the troubles at half time.
    They were also unable to tune-in to the commentary on BBC Radio Five Live due to the technical issues – and they quickly took to Twitter to vent their anger at the Beeb. More

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    Gary Lineker forced to apologise to fans live on air after technical issue on BBC during England vs Iran World Cup clash

    GARY Lineker has apologised on-air to fans watching the England World Cup match on BBC iPlayer following a technical issue.The BBC Match Of The Day host and former England footballer, 61, made the comments during half-time of England’s World Cup opener against Iran, adding that the broadcaster was working on fixing it.
    The pundit made the apology at half-time of England’s opening match against IranCredit: BBC
    Viewers had reported problems with the iPlayer feed, meaning they were unable to watch part of England’s opening match.
    On Twitter, BBC Sport said: “We’re aware of an issue affecting some users on BBC iPlayer.
    The pundit said: “Just a quick pointer, apologies if you have had any BBC iPlayer issues during that first half.
    “We are working to fix them.”
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    “We’re trying to fix this ASAP.
    “Coverage is also available on BBC One and the BBC Sport website and app.”
    It comes as supporters faced ticket problems as they attempted to enter the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar to watch the much-anticipated match.
    Free Lions, the Football Supporters’ Association team that provides travel and logistical advice to fans, said on Twitter: “We’re aware of issues with some e-tickets at the stadium with FIFA’s ticketing app.
    Read More on The Sun
    “The FA is working hard to find a resolution for England fans.
    “If you have issues seeing your ticket on the app, join the ticketing resolution queue at the stadium, but keep checking the app.”
    England went on to win the match 6-2, with a late Iranian penalty providing a face-saving goal for the beaten side.
    Bukayo Saka starred for the Three Lions with two goals in the match, with Jude Bellingham, Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford bagging one each. More

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    BBC iPlayer viewers fume with iPlayer DOWN at start of England’s World Cup opener with Iran

    FANS were left fuming at the BBC after iPlayer went down and left them unable to watch or listen to the start of England’s World Cup adventure on BBC iPlayer.The Three Lions kicked off against Iran in their Group B opener at 1pm this afternoon.
    England fans were left fuming after a problem on BBC iPlayer left them unable to watch the big gameCredit: Twitter
    The Three Lions kicked-off their World Cup today against IranCredit: Getty
    The problems on iPlayer left many unable to watch or listen to the actionCredit: Twitter
    Fans were also unable to listen to the game via BBC commsCredit: Twitter
    Millions will have been tuning in to BBC One to catch all of the action from the game.
    However, loads were left raging after a problem with BBC’s iPlayer forced them to miss the kick-off, which led to Gary Lineker apologising for the troubles at half time.
    They were also unable to tune-in to the commentary on BBC Radio Five Live due to the technical issues – and they quickly took to Twitter to vent their anger at the Beeb.
    One wrote: “How is BBC IPlayer down during the flipping World Cup?? Poor from BBC!”
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    Another tweeted: “Trying to get in and watch the game on the BBC iPlayer and its down. What the hell is that all about?”
    A fellow viewer trying to tune in said: “BBC iplayer down? Useless @BBCiPlayer sort your stuff out.”
    Another said: “BBC iplayer is down two minutes before kick off. F***ing fantastic.”
    While another raged: “Why the F*** has BBC iPlayer crashed during the first WC game.”
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    England boss Gareth Southgate was himself fuming as his team were denied an early penalty against Iran.
    But he was soon more than happy.
    A double from Bukayo Saka and more from Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford saw England win 6-2. More

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    Fans all say same thing about dodgy sound on BBC’s coverage of World Cup 2022 after snubbing entire opening ceremony

    FOOTBALL fans have slammed the BBC’s coverage of the first World Cup game after issues with the sound during the broadcast.Gary Lineker introduced the tournament live from Doha ahead of Qatar’s clash with Ecuador.
    The sound kept cutting in and out during BBC’s coverage of the opening gameCredit: BBC
    They opted against showing any of the opening ceremony in a move criticised by many on social media.
    And those online were then angered even further as the audio began to bizarrely cut in and out.
    Speaking on Twitter, one person said: “Why does it sound like somebody is washing the dishes in the background of the BBC World Cup coverage? 🤣🤣🤣 The audio is horrendous.”
    Another added: “What the f*** is wrong with the sound on BBC1?”
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    A third said: “Why does it sound like someone is playing with spoons next to a microphone on the BBC??”
    A fourth added: “Is that the stadium still being built in the background on the BBC sound?”
    And another said: “What’s with the sound on the BBC in the studio? Sounds like Gary is talking into a glass box on Teams.”
    The Qatar World Cup has come under severe criticism due to the country’s human rights record.
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    There have also been allegations of corruption during the process of winning the bid.
    But, nearly 12 years after being awarded the tournament, it is now getting underway.
    Qatar’s game against Ecuador is the only match taking place on Sunday.
    It is followed on Monday by three more matches, starting with England vs Iran, before Senegal vs Netherlands and USA vs Wales. More

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    World Cup fans rage as BBC SNUB entire Qatar opening ceremony

    FOOTIE fans were left stunned by the BBC’s decision NOT to broadcast the opening ceremony of the World Cup.Qatar 2022 officially got underway on Sunday afternoon with a glitzy ceremony at the Al Bayt Stadium in Doha.
    The BBC missed the opening the historic opening ceremony in QatarCredit: REUTERS
    The national broadcaster eventually cut to their coverage of the opening match but didn’t show the ceremony as it went on in the backgroundCredit: BBC
    The ceremony included immaculately dressed and co-ordinated dancersCredit: GETTY
    Hollywood superstar Morgan Freeman was also part of the spectacular showCredit: EPA
    Freeman sat down on the floor with Qatari YouTuber Ghanim al-Muftah during the ceremonyCredit: REUTERS
    But unlike tournaments of yesteryear, the BBC didn’t cover a single moment of the ceremony.
    And footy fans up and down the UK were baffled as to why the national broadcaster didn’t air the historic event.
    One tweeted: “Why are no British channels showing this outrageous opening ceremony?”
    Another asked: “Why isn’t the BBC showing the opening ceremony?? I’m so confused.”
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    And another asked: “No why the hell isn’t BBC showing the opening ceremony.”
    One chimed in: “Why aren’t BBC/ITV playing the opening ceremony?? So disappointing.”
    Another remarked: “How is BBC 1 not showing the opening ceremony??”
    The Beeb were late in broadcasting live from the Al Bayt Stadium ceremony as they were airing the Women’s Super League match between Chelsea and Tottenham – which the Blues won 3-0.
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    But the proceedings, which included an array of immaculately dressed dancers and bright mascots, were not aired once they switched to their team in Doha.
    That further enraged fans, one of whom tweeted: “I have never known the BBC to not show an opening ceremony before.”
    Another said: “This is an absolute joke.
    “Qatar have a whole opening ceremony going on right now in aid of the biggest football tournament in the world.”
    And another said: “The fact the BBC haven’t shown the World Cup Opening Ceremony on their terrestrial channels is so disrespectful.”
    One furious footy fan said: “Poor for BBC not to broadcast the world cup opening ceremony.”
    Fans also complained about the sound quality as the BBC played numerous pre-packed montages.
    The World Cup mascot La’eeb made an appearance via a stunning hologramCredit: GETTY
    The ceremony proved to be quite the colourful affairCredit: GETTY
    Several caricatures and mascots were also on displayCredit: AP
    The Al Bayt Stadium provided a stunning back drop for the opening ceremonyCredit: Getty
    One said: “Why does it sound like somebody is washing the dishes in the background of the BBC World Cup coverage?
    “The audio is horrendous.”
    And another said: “Why does it sound like someone is playing with spoons next to a microphone on the BBC??”
    Hollywood superstar Morgan Freeman was one of the main attractions during the glitzy ceremony.
    As was 20-year-old Qatari social media star Ghanim al Muftah.
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    Al Muftah – who was born with a rare disorder called Caudal Regression Syndrome and has no lower body – took centre stage with Freeman amid an array of flashing lights.
    Hosts Qatar will light the tournament’s blue touch paper at 4:00pm with their Group A opener against Ecuador. More

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    British boxing’s only female promoter Susannah Schofield fighting for change and wants the sport BACK on BBC

    BRITISH BOXING’S only female promoter is fighting to get the sport back on the BBC.Susannah Schofield OBE invested thousands of her own pounds to get her Unified Promotions show on in Rotherham’s Magna Carta arena last month.
    Susannah Schofield is heading up Unified promotions in her effort to promote women’s boxingCredit: Unified Boxing
    Schofield with another female trailblazer in boxing, world champ Ebanie BridgesCredit: Unified Boxing
    And the former Royal Mail director delivered the card to the BBC’s iplayer platform, in the hope of convincing the terrestrial giant to return to the sport.
    Casual fans and broadcasters get turned off when the biggest mega-money fights fall through because of doping scandals or clashing egos and companies or end with dodgy scorecards.
    But the trailblazer for women’s business has seen enough of the sports positive side to know she wants to help return it to our primetime screens and she’s ready to KO some of the dusty old scams that are holding the sport back.
    Schofield, 47 – who is focused on growing the female code but runs mixed cards – told SunSport: “I did twenty years at the Royal Mail so I am used to a very male, testosterone-fuelled environments.
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    “And I have always been a boxing fan and loved watching the era of Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson.
    “I set Unified up a couple of years ago and did a couple of small shows and thankfully the BBC came and took a look at our last show and said they liked what they saw.
    “They were honest enough to say it will be an uphill struggle but we had brilliant viewing figures and now we want to move forward.
    “Now we need people to put their money where their mouths are because male sports are still very well sponsored but when you go looking for investment in female sports, the reaction is usually very different.
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    “I funded the last event personally and privately to help with our long-term goal but that cannot go on forever so we hope to make it a commercial success soon.”
    Schofield has done more than her fair share of research too and shared the rancour among boxing fans who watched the Government spurn the sport during the pandemic when they dished out £300million.
    Vote-hungry politicians like Boris Johnson race to local gyms to slap pads when they want more working class voters in their corner.
    But when gyms were closed down it took personal donations from the likes of Anthony Joshua to keep them afloat.
    Niche sports like basketball, ice hockey and badminton got handouts while boxing starved.
    “What was that about?” she added? “That was absolutely crazy.
    “Research tells you that if you put a boxing gym in a London town it can halve the crime rate, almost overnight because it teaches kids controlled aggression and how to work as a team.
    “I love that part of boxing but it does come with some other parts – in the professional sphere – that are not so easy to love.”
    Former Royal Mail director Susannah Schofield wants to deliver more for female fightersCredit: Unified Boxing
    Female fighting enjoyed a surge in popularity during lockdown – at behind-closed-doors shows – but there remains a huge gender gap in pay and support that Schofield wants to shorten.
    “My job is to normalise womens boxing,” he said. “You don’t think twice about seeing a woman in MMA, or taking a karate class, on a horse or behind the wheel of a car.
    “If people watch more womens fights – ours and everyone else’s – they will realise the quality is there.
    “I have had female friends who are put off by the idea, then they watch – mainly in support of me – and they change their minds completely.
    “Hopefully we and the BBC can work together to get more and more eyeballs on the female sport.”
    Certain things have to change at the British Boxing Board of Control, with some of the regulations still archaic.
    Schofield – with a hint of humour – explained: “The groin protector is still one fixed height for men and women.
    “That might protect a bloke’s crown jewels perfectly, but one punch in the wrong place could do more damage to a woman’s ovaries than her not wearing at all.
    “That needs to be changed and maybe we need a new rules and regulations book for women because the current one – printed in 2021 – still lists what HE must and must not do, what HE can and cannot do.
    “We are not an add-on anymore, we are part of the industry, it’s a serious sport and we want to be a serious part of it.
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    “We want to follow rules and regulations, we want to gurantee the wellbing of ALL boxers and get them all fairly paid.
    “This should be a much cleaner and healthier business and the idea of doing any other way is just wrong because it’s such a dangerous sport.” More

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    ‘They probably won’t admit it’ – Xavi reveals inside story on Lionel Messi’s iconic rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo

    LIONEL MESSI and Cristiano Ronaldo drove themselves to become iconic stars – because of their intense rivalry.That is the opinion of former Barcelona midfielder Xavi, who was present when ex-teammate Messi tried to outdo Ronaldo, then of Real Madrid, across 30 El Clasico meetings.
    Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo met 30 times in the El ClasicoCredit: AFP
    Xavi believes the pair drove themselves to become icons due to their rivalryCredit: Getty
    The pair have NINE Champions League titles between them and collected 12 Ballon d’Or awards, an accolade that recognises the best players on the planet.
    Speaking in a new BBC documentary about Messi’s career, current Barcelona boss Xavi said: “Cristiano and Leo probably won’t admit it.
    “But Cristiano even gave him an extra push, an extra push to become a better player.
    “I am convinced they used to keep an eye on each other.
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    “If you’re competitive you want to be the best, that’s human nature.”
    Tomorrow night the BBC will broadcast a new doc called MESSI which pays tribute to the Argentine genius ahead of next month’s World Cup in Qatar.
    It carries contributions from Rio Ferdinand, Henrik Larsson and Cesc Fabregas, who either played with or against the 35-year-old superstar.
    Xavi, now the Barcelona boss, added: “Messi is a 10. This guy is a 9.2. This one is an 8.5. But a 10, this kid has set the bar. There’s nothing above that, that’s the highest.”
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    In three separate summers between 2014 and 2016, Argentina lost to Germany in the World Cup Final in Brazil and then were beaten in TWO Copa America finals by Chile.
    Messi – long compared to World Cup winner Diego Maradona – finally won a major title for his country when Argentina beat Brazil in the 2021 Copa America Final in Rio.
    And Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez reveals the inspirational team talk that captain Messi gave before he broke his international trophy drought.
    Martínez, 30, said: “It was like our victory was meant to be. We were supposed to play in Argentina but it was changed last minute to Brazil.
    “We had been 40 days away from our families and he said something about me, which I will never forget.
    “He said: ‘Emi saw his daughter born on FaceTime. He couldn’t even give her a cuddle. So let’s do it for him.’
    “I had butterflies in my tummy when he said that. He nearly made me cry just before the game had started.
    “At the end, I hugged him so hard. I said: ‘We did it.’ I was crying. I am a very emotional guy. I did grab him in the air like my boy. I love Messi.”
    MESSI will be available on BBC iPlayer at 6am tomorrow and then broadcast on BBC One on Saturday November 19. More