Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterThe BBC has faced criticism from certain quarters for its decision not to set up a studio in North America from the start of the World Cup.Instead, the corporation will initially broadcast from Salford, although it will reportedly fly out its stars for the latter stages of the tournament, especially if England or Scotland are still in the mix.It is not the only aspect of the BBCs coverage that is new for 2026, with fans now able to watch the game through a different medium via its World Cup 2026 3D Experience. I checked it out and this is what I thought.Play our FREE match predictor game and win �1kThis is what I thought of the BBCs World Cup 3D ExperienceThe feature is easy to access, with the option to Experience this match in 3D below the score at the top of each live match page on the BBC Sport website.I tuned in for the second half of Iraqs clash with Norway in Group I and had no idea what to expect - and not just because neither of these countries had competed at a World Cup this century. You may like Where is the BBC World Cup studio? The corporation unveils its World Cup setting as ITV broadcast from USA Here's where you can watch the World Cup 2026 for FREE How to watch World Cup 2026: FREE live streams, groups, next matches Therefore, I was a bit surprised to be greeted with graphics that looked a bit like one of those smartphone football games, where there is no way to identify the players other than the colour of their kits.In fact, the initial broadcast view of the game (effectively the same angle that you would see on TV) shows 22 faceless players with only a couple of different haircuts to distinguish them - Erling Haalands flowing locks were nowhere to be seen.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.It must be said that the movement of the players is very slick and looks more human than a lot of video games with similar graphics, although that changed when the second-half hydration break arrived and some of the players started disappearing and popping up a few yards away, possibly because they were all grouped too closely by the side of the pitch.As well as the broadcast angle, you can also watch from a tactical perspective which gives a birdseye view of the pitch with lines to show the distances between players, which is useful when tracking a teams shape.However, the most interesting aspect are the third person and first person views. For each of those, you can pick any player and follow the game at pitch level from behind them (third person) or by looking through their eyes (first person).While it does not have the same impact as the Ref cam on TV which shows real players, you still get some idea of the speed of the game at pitch level.You can also gain useful insight from the icon in the top right corner, where you can toggle through various statistics including final third entries, line breaks and the shot map of each team for one or both halves, although only the true stat-heads may find this genuinely fascinating.Overall, it feels like it is those people who will ultimately enjoy this most. If you are really into your statistics and tactics you could spend quite a while on the BBCs World Cup 3D Experience, but otherwise you will probably switch back to the real thing before too long.TOPICSNorwayJames RobertsFreelance writerJames Roberts is a freelance sports journalist working for FourFourTwo and other titles. He started his career at the Oxford Mail, where he covered Oxford United home and away, before becoming a sports sub-editor for various national newspapers.
