BBC’s first nine Super League broadcast picks for 2026 confirmed as Hull FC snubbed

The BBC have made their first nine broadcast picks for the 2026 Super League campaign, with Hull FC and York the only two clubs not chosen at least once.

As part of their broadcast deal with RL Commercial, the BBC are permitted to show 15 Super League games each season, with ten required to be shown on their linear channels (i.e. BBC One/BBC Two) and five via their iPlayer streaming service.

Ahead of 2026, their first nine picks for next season have been made – from Round 1 up to and including Round 15.

The free-to-air broadcaster have chosen nine games, comprising of five which will be shown on a linear channel and four that will be shown via the iPlayer.

Accordingly, they have six games left in their quota to choose after Round 15 – five on linear channels and one for the iPlayer.

But, it’s worth noting that the BBC’s picks each year usually include one of the play-off games – so in the regular season, it would appear that they will only show five games between Rounds 16 and 27, inclusive.

BBC’s first nine Super League broadcast picks for 2026 confirmed as Hull FC snubbed

12 of the 14 teams in next season’s newly-expanded Super League have been chosen for broadcast on at least one occasion across the BBC’s first nine picks.

Hull FC and newly-promoted York are the two omissions, with reigning champions and 2025 treble winners Hull KR the headline act having been chosen three times already.

Notably, the World Club Challenge between the Robins and NRL kings Brisbane Broncos on February 15 is one of the three games set to be broadcast by the BBC in the first half of the season.

Sky Sports will still have their coverage of the World Club Challenge, but the BBC will screen that game live on BBC Three rather than showing one of the six other Super League matches taking place that weekend.

Due to their limited quota of games, the BBC will not have a game on live from each round, with the longest gap in their selections in the first half of the year being between Round 7 and Round 10.

Round 7 will see them show the Good Friday derby clash between newly-promoted Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos at Odsal as part of Rivals Round.

And in Round 19, it’ll be the Bulls on the box for the BBC again as they make the trip to Wigan Warriors.

Here is the list of the BBC’s first nine picks in full for 2026…

Listed in chronological order

Round 1: Castleford Tigers v Wigan Warriors – Sunday, February 15 (3pm) – iPlayer

Round 2 (World Club Challenge): Hull KR v Brisbane Broncos – Thursday, February 19 (7.30pm) – BBC Three

Round 3: Warrington Wolves v Wakefield Trinity – Saturday, February 28 (5.30pm) – BBC Two

Round 5: Catalans Dragons v Hull KR – Saturday, March 21 (5.30pm UK time) – BBC Two

Round 6: Leigh Leopards v Toulouse Olympique – Saturday, March 28 (5.30pm) – BBC Two

Round 7: Bradford Bulls v Leeds Rhinos – Good Friday, April 3 (8pm) – iPlayer

Round 10: Wigan Warriors v Bradford Bulls – Saturday, May 2 (3pm) – iPlayer

Round 11: Huddersfield Giants v St Helens – Thursday, May 14 (8pm) – iPlayer

Round 13: Wakefield Trinity v Hull KR – Saturday, June 6 (5.30pm) – BBC Two