ITV World Cup Coverage Draws Viewer Surge as the Same Complaint Returns

ITV faced criticism from viewers on Sunday night after its coverage of the Netherlands vs Japan World Cup match was widely described on social media as having poor picture quality. Although the game itself produced an entertaining 2-2 draw, many fans watching at home said the broadcast looked blurry, low-resolution, or simply unwatchable, and several complained that the issue caused eye strain or headaches.

The match featured a lively comeback from Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan side, who responded twice after the Netherlands took the lead through Virgil van Dijk and later Crysencio Summerville. While the football on the pitch drew interest, the broadcast quality dominated the discussion among ITV viewers, many of whom took to X to vent their frustration during and after the game.

Comments from viewers ranged from disappointment to outright anger. Some compared the picture quality unfavourably with old television sets and early internet streams, saying it looked worse than expected for a major global football tournament. Others asked whether the match could be watched elsewhere, while some said they were forced to stop watching because the visual quality was so poor. The complaints were not limited to this single match, as a number of viewers claimed the same problem had affected previous World Cup games shown by ITV.

Despite the backlash, ITV’s World Cup presentation has otherwise received praise for its studio setup in Brooklyn, New York, with the Manhattan skyline providing a striking backdrop. The broadcaster’s coverage is being led by Mark Pougatch, Laura Woods and Semra Hunter, supported by a large pundit line-up that includes Roy Keane, Ian Wright, Gary Neville, Duncan Ferguson, Patrick Vieira, Karen Carney, Ange Postecoglou, Juan Mata, Emma Hayes, Jobi McAnuff and Bradley Wright-Phillips.

Ahead of the tournament, ITV sport director Niall Sloane said the broadcaster planned to provide extensive free-to-air coverage from New York City throughout the competition. He described the event as the biggest FIFA World Cup in history and said ITV’s team, digital services and dedicated World Cup channel would ensure fans did not miss any key moments.

The complaints about picture quality overshadowed what was otherwise a compelling contest between the Netherlands and Japan. For many viewers, the focus quickly shifted from the action on the field to the standard of the broadcast itself, leaving ITV under pressure to address concerns over how the matches are being delivered to home audiences.