ITV Sport blends Manhattan skylines with Unreal Engine for World Cup

The deployment represents a shift toward high-immersion remote production where the physical location is a core narrative asset rather than a backdrop. By utilizing Unreal Engine for 'masking' and environmental matching, ITV avoids the visual flatness of traditional green screens while keeping 60% of its staff at the London hub. This hybrid model balances the high cost of on-site US production with the technical advantages of centralized UK operations. For the wider industry, this proves that complex virtual production can survive the variable light and weather of an open-air rooftop. Watch for the performance of the fiber-based camera shading and exposure control managed 3,400 miles away.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has become a definitive proof of concept for global-scale decentralized production. While ITV chose a high-visibility Brooklyn studio to contrast with its domestic rivals, the broader tournament infrastructure relies on a centralized International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in Dallas. Per FIFA and SVG Europe reports from June 2026, the Dallas IBC serves as the technical heart for 104 matches, managing nearly 9,000 hours of content through SMPTE ST 2110 networking and JPEG XS contribution workflows. This setup allows specialist functions like replay and graphics to be handled remotely, significantly reducing the carbon footprint and logistics of moving thousands of personnel between 16 host cities.

The competitive landscape in the UK has underscored two different philosophies regarding on-site presence. According to The Telegraph and the Daily Mirror in July 2026, the BBC originally opted to produce the majority of its World Cup coverage from a virtual 'green box' studio in Salford to save millions in license-fee funding. However, following public and critical scrutiny of the 'work-from-home' aesthetic, the BBC confirmed it would fly key talent, including Gabby Logan, to the U.S. for the semi-finals and final. In contrast, ITV’s Brooklyn location—secured with help from its U.S. arm, ITV America—has been positioned as an entertainment-first strategy designed to capture the atmospheric 'buzz' of the host country.

Technologically, the shift is supported by massive increases in cross-continental bandwidth. ITV's technical director Tony Cahalane noted in June 2026 that their operation now travels 40% fewer people than previous cycles by relying on high-speed fiber for real-time vision mixing and EVS operations. This remote model, which ITV first tested at scale during the Qatar World Cup and Euro 2024, is now standard for 'Category A' sporting events, where low-latency transport protocols allow for seamless collaboration between New York-based presenters and London-based editors.