The best live sport on TV this week: 17 to 24 June

The superb summer of live sport is up and running, and the action isn’t slowing down any time soon. As well as football’s FIFA World Cup and cricket’s Women’s T20 World Cup, there’s a major golf tournament with the US Open, massive finals in club rugby union, another England men’s Test match against New Zealand, Royal Ascot and much more, including tennis from Queen’s as the countdown to Wimbledon continues.

Scroll down for your highlights in the week ahead (Wednesday 17 to Wednesday 24 June) in our guide to live sport on TV, with listings for every match from the FIFA World Cup in North America, including England and Scotland’s crucial group matches. And don’t forget to bookmark this page for your weekly sporting picks on Virgin TV.

Pick of the day
FIFA World Cup Group L: England v Croatia
8pm, ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

As England’s first match of this tournament arrives, there’s likely to be much talk about how these opponents beat them in the 2018 semi-final, but England have already exorcised that ghost – they’ve beaten Croatia twice since. Coach Thomas Tuchel has a few tough choices to make (Morgan Rogers or Jude Bellingham? John Stones or Marc Guéhi?) but almost all the squad looked fit and ready in the warm-ups, so any XI will go into this match in Dallas as favourites. This is surely the last World Cup for Croatia’s 40-year-old Luka Modrić, so enjoy watching the masterful midfielder while you can.

FIFA World Cup today:

• Group J: Argentina v Algeria
  1.15am (kick-off 2am), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group J: Austria v Jordan
  4.50am (kick-off 5am), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group K: Portugal v DR Congo
  5.30pm (kick-off 6pm), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group L: England v Croatia
  8pm (kick-off 9pm), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group L: Ghana v Panama
  11.40pm (kick-off 12am), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

What else to watch:

• Cricket: England v New Zealand – 2nd Men’s Test, Day 1
  10am, Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505)

• Tennis: ATP Tour – Queen’s Club Championship
  1pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

• Horse Racing: Royal Ascot
  1.30pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103) + 5.50pm, ITV4 HD (CH 118)

• Cycling: Men’s UCI World Tour – Tour Of Switzerland, Day 1
  2.30pm, TNT Sports 3 HD (CH 523)

• Cricket: Women’s T20 World Cup – Pakistan v South Africa
  7pm, Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505)

Pick of the day
Cricket: England v New Zealand – 2nd Men’s Test, Day 2
10.15am, Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505)

First came the seeming collapse (140 all out). Then came the fightback win (by 115 runs). Then came the ill-starred aftermath in a Chelsea nightclub. It was certainly an eventful first Test, but Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson’s post-match indiscipline had the biggest impact of all and means England go into the second without two key players. Former captain Joe Root is the stand-in skipper at the Oval, and the good news for him is that New Zealand’s all-time great batter Kane Williamson chose to retire ahead of the match. We’re expecting these two depleted but still top-quality sides to play out another fascinating contest – and hoping for more than 96 overs’ action this time.

FIFA World Cup today:

• Group K: Uzbekistan v Colombia
  2.50am (kick-off 3am), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group A: Czechia v South Africa
  4.30pm (kick-off 5pm), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group B: Switzerland v Bosnia-Herzegovina
  7pm (kick-off 8pm), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group B: Canada v Qatar
  10.30pm (kick-off 11pm), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

What else to watch:

• Cycling: Women’s UCI World Tour – Tour Of Switzerland, Day 2
  9am, TNT Sports 2 HD (CH 522)

• Golf: US Open, Round 1
  12.30pm, Sky Sports Golf HD (CH 506)

• Tennis: ATP Tour – Queen’s Club Championship
  1pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

• Horse Racing: Royal Ascot
  1.30pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103) + 5.50pm, ITV4 HD (CH 118)

• Cricket: Women’s T20 World Cup – West Indies v Scotland
  7pm, Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505)

• Rugby League: Super League – Warrington Wolves v Leeds Rhinos
  7.30pm, Sky Sports+ HD (CH 504) + Sky Sports Action HD (CH 510)

Pick of the day
Rugby Union: United Rugby Championship Grand Final – Leinster v Bulls
6.30pm, Premier Sports 1 HD (CH 528)

Glasgow Warriors topped the URC table, beat Connacht in the quarter-finals and surged to a 21-3 lead in their semi against Pretoria’s Bulls. At half-time they were firm favourites for the title, but the South African side had other ideas and put in a titanic second-half effort to pip the Warriors by a point. So the Bulls will be at Croke Park this weekend for the Grand Final, where they’ll renew their rivalry with Leinster: they knocked the Dubliners out of the play-offs in 2022 and 2024, but Leinster defeated them 32-7 in the 2025 final. Both sides are packed with internationals so fans can look forward to a high-class match-up, as Leinster aim to become back-to-back champions in their home city.

FIFA World Cup today:

• Group A: Mexico v South Korea
  1.50am (kick-off 2am), BBC Two HD (CH 102)

• Group D: USA v Australia
  7.30pm (kick-off 8pm), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group C: Scotland v Morocco
  10pm (kick-off 11pm), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

What else to watch:

• Cricket: England v New Zealand – 2nd Men’s Test, Day 3
  10.15am, Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505)

• Golf: US Open, Round 2
  12.30pm, Sky Sports Golf HD (CH 506)

• Tennis: ATP Tour – Queen’s Club Championship
  1pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

• Athletics: Diamond League Doha
  5pm, Apps > BBC iPlayer

• Horse Racing: Royal Ascot
  1.30pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103) + 5.50pm, ITV4 HD (CH 118)

• Cricket: Women’s T20 World Cup – Ireland v New Zealand
  7pm, Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505)

Pick of the day
Rugby Union: PREM Grand Final – Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs
1.30pm, TNT Sports 1 HD (CH 521) + 2.30pm, ITV4 HD (CH 118)

No team had won an away semi-final in this competition for five years so Exeter’s victory at the home of reigning champions Bath was a significant achievement – especially after they were 26-10 down at half-time. Replacing their front row at half-time revitalised the Chiefs, who scored 17 unanswered points after the interval. No team has ever won the Grand Final after finishing third in the table, so Exeter could break new ground at Twickenham on Saturday. Standing in their way are Northampton, who came through a thrilling encounter against local rivals Leicester in their semi. The final will be Saints full-back George Furbank’s final game before departing – can he leave a title-winning legacy?

FIFA World Cup today:

• Group C: Brazil v Haiti
  1.15am (kick-off 1.30am), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group D: Türkiye v Paraguay
  3.50am (kick-off 4am), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group F: Netherlands v Sweden
  5.30pm (kick-off 6pm), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group E: Germany v Côte D’Ivoire
  8pm (kick-off 9pm), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

What else to watch:

• Motorsport: Formula E Sanya ePrix
  7am, TNT Sports 4 HD (CH 524) + Apps > ITVX

• Tennis: ATP Tour – Queen’s Club Championship
  1pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Horse Racing: Royal Ascot
  1.25pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• Netball: Super League Grand Final – Manchester Thunder v London Pulse
  2.30pm, Sky Sports Action HD (CH 510) + Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 511)

• Golf: US Open, Round 3
  4pm, Sky Sports Golf HD (CH 506)

• Cricket: Women’s T20 World Cup – England v Scotland
  7pm, Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505)

Pick of the day
Golf: US Open, Round 4
4pm, Sky Sports Golf HD (CH 506)
The world’s leading golfers take to the course at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island today for the final round of the 2026 US Open. Ahead of the tournament, Scottie Scheffler was the firm favourite not only to take the title but to complete his career Grand Slam, just four years after he won his first major – and the climax of this event just happens to fall on his 30th birthday. It looks all set up for the world number one. But a lot can happen over 72 holes and, of course, there are plenty of other in-form players aiming to beat him to the trophy, including Masters champ Rory McIlroy, other former winners like Matt Fitzpatrick and Jon Rahm, and fast-rising US star Cameron Young.

FIFA World Cup today:

• Group E: Ecuador v Curaçao
  12.50am (kick-off 1am), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group F: Tunisia v Japan
  4.50am (kick-off 5am), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group H: Spain v Saudi Arabia
  4.30pm (kick-off 5pm), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group G: Belgium v Iran
  7pm (kick-off 8pm), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group H: Uruguay v Cape Verde
  10.30pm (kick-off 11pm), BBC One HD (CH 101)

What else to watch:

• Cricket: England v New Zealand – 2nd Men’s Test, Day 5
  10.15am, Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505)

• Motorsport: MotoGP Of Czechia – Race
  12.15pm, TNT Sports 2 HD (CH 522)

• Tennis: ATP Tour – Queen’s Club Championship
  1.20pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Cricket: Women’s T20 World Cup – South Africa v India
  2pm, Sky Sports+ HD (CH 504) + Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 511)

• Motorsport: IndyCar Series – Grand Prix Of Road America
  7pm, Sky Sports F1® HD (CH 507)

Pick of the day
Football: FIFA World Cup Group I – France v Iraq
9.30pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

Runners-up in 2022 and now packed with even more attacking talent, France are thrilling to watch as well as firmly among the tournament favourites, as they demonstrated with a scintillating second-half display in their opening match against Sénégal. Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olisé and co will be an intimidating prospect for every opposition defence, although opponents might have identified the midfield as a problem area, with veteran Adrien Rabiot still a mainstay. Iraq, who came through a gruelling 20-game Asian qualifying process and a play-off against Bolivia, will need to get a foothold in the middle to get anything out of this match.

FIFA World Cup today:

• Group G: New Zealand v Egypt
  1.30am (kick-off 2am), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group J: Argentina v Austria
  5.30pm (kick-off 6pm), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group I: France v Iraq
  9.30pm (kick-off 10pm), BBC One HD (CH 101)

What else to watch:

• Baseball: MLB – New York Mets @ Philadelphia Phillies
  12am, TNT Sports 1 HD (CH 521)

• Rugby Union: MLR Final – California Legion v Chicago Hounds
  12am, Premier Sports Rugby HD (CH 530)

• Horse Racing: International Raceday Live
  11am, Sky Sports Racing HD (CH 519)

• Pool: Ultimate Pool Champions League – Week 2
  6pm, TNT Sports 1 HD (CH 521)

Pick of the day
Cricket: Women’s T20 World Cup – New Zealand v Scotland
10am, Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505) + Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 511)

Scotland, taking part in their second Women’s T20 World Cup, recorded their first ever win at the finals when they beat Ireland at Old Trafford with a true captain’s performance from Kathryn Bryce, who scored 60 from 39 balls and then took two for 19. A big moment for the team but they’ll know their other group rivals are of a different calibre – not least holders New Zealand, who are Scotland’s opponents in Bristol this morning. Having got their title defence off to a shaky start with a defeat to West Indies, the White Ferns will be making every effort to avoid further slip-ups.

FIFA World Cup today:

• Group I: Norway v Sénégal
  12.15am (kick-off 1am), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group J: Jordan v Algeria
  3.30am (kick-off 4am), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group K: Portugal v Uzbekistan
  5pm (kick-off 6pm), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group L: England v Ghana
  8pm (kick-off 9pm), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group L: Panama v Croatia
  11.50pm (kick-off 12am), BBC One HD (CH 101)

What else to watch:

• Baseball: MLB – Chicago Cubs @ New York Mets
  12am, TNT Sports 1 HD (CH 521)

• Cricket: Women’s T20 World Cup – Ireland v Sri Lanka
  2pm, Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505) + Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 511)

• Horse Racing: Live From Around The UK
  2pm, Sky Sports Racing HD (CH 519)

• Cricket: Women’s T20 World Cup – Australia v Pakistan
  6pm, Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505)

Pick of the day
Football: FIFA World Cup Group C – Scotland v Brazil
10pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

Victory over Haiti in their opening match was cathartic and jubilant for Scotland after a 28-year absence from the World Cup finals. But a 1-1 draw between Morocco and Brazil, the two top-ranked teams in Group C, was bad news for Steve Clarke’s squad: if Brazil had secured two wins from two games, coach Carlo Ancelotti could be tempted to rest players and instruct the team to ease off a little in the final group match. However, progress is still on the cards for Scotland, and that would represent success for a country that has never gone beyond the group stage at any men’s or women’s international tournament. They may have to wait on results from other groups to find out their fate.

FIFA World Cup today:

• Group K: Colombia v DR Congo
  2.30am (kick-off 3am), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group B: Switzerland v Canada
  7pm (kick-off 8pm), ITV1 HD/STV HD (CH 103)

• Group B: Bosnia-Herzegovina v Qatar
  7pm (kick-off 8pm), ITV4 HD (CH 118)

• Group C: Scotland v Brazil
  10pm (kick-off 11pm), BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Group C: Morocco v Haiti
  10.50pm (kick-off 11pm), BBC Two HD (CH 102)

What else to watch:

• Baseball: MLB – Chicago Cubs @ New York Mets
  12am, TNT Sports 1 HD (CH 521)

• Horse Racing: Live From Around The UK
  2pm, Sky Sports Racing HD (CH 519)

• Cricket: Women’s T20 World Cup – England v West Indies
  6pm, Sky Mix HD (CH 156) + Sky Sports Cricket HD (CH 505)

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