The World Cup Final - History of the BBC

Image: A BBC TV camera films West Germany v England in the final of the World Cup at Wembley 1966

The final of the 1966 World Cup, probably the biggest event in British sporting history, was broadcast live on 30 July 1966. The BBC and ITV combined resources to ensure the whole competition was covered in detail, and the final attracted the largest ever British television audience, as 32.3 million viewers watched England beat West Germany 4-2.

World Cup Grandstand offered comprehensive coverage of the football, starting at noon with David Coleman previewing the day's events. Match commentary was by Kenneth Wolstenholme, who delivered the words that have come to sum up the whole game, and frequently feature in polls of great sporting moments:

And here comes Hurst, he's got... Some people are on the pitch! They think it's all over! It is now! It's four!

There was still time during the afternoon to follow play in the West Indies v Glamorgan cricket match. The use of action replays - a term coined by BBC Head of Sport, Bryan Cowgill - was a popular innovation during the 1966 World Cup. The BBC continues to appeal to viewers with its sports broadcasts. During the 2010 World Cup, the tournament was covered on all platforms, and BBC online coverage attracted more visitors than any other sports website.

July anniversaries

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