ITV to air ‘in-game’ adverts during England matches with fears of similar plans for Fifa World Cup
ITV is set to air advertisements during live play at Six Nations England matches, marking an unprecedented move for UK rugby.
The broadcaster will show commercials during breaks in play before scrums, becoming the first to do so in any live rugby or football coverage in Britain.
Samsung and Virgin Atlantic have signed up as the inaugural brands to test this innovative advertising approach, which ITV describes as a “brand new creative advertising format”.
The announcement, expected later today, represents a significant shift in how commercial television handles sports coverage, potentially opening the door for similar arrangements across other major competitions.
Critics now fear ITV could do the same with their coverage of the 2026 Fifa World Cup, which kicks off in North America this summer.
The new format utilises split-screen technology, allowing viewers to continue watching the match while advertisements appear alongside the live action, according to the Telegraph.
Each half will reportedly feature just one commercial, with spots lasting approximately 20 seconds and timed to coincide with pauses before scrums.
ITV’s sports production team will control when these picture-in-picture advertisements are inserted during the 10 matches they hold exclusive rights to, which includes all of England’s fixtures.
ITV is set to air advertisements during live play at Six Nations England matches, marking an unprecedented move for UK rugby
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Samsung’s promotional spot for the Galaxy Fold Z7 depicts supporters watching rugby together on their device, posing the question “can your phone make you feel this close?” Virgin Atlantic’s advertisement showcases the destinations the carrier serves.
While this picture-in-picture approach breaks new ground in Britain, overseas broadcasters have already embraced similar techniques.
RTE in Ireland has employed the format, as have American golf networks such as NBC.
ITV Racing has also experimented with the technology at certain meetings.
Golf broadcasters such as NBC in America already use in-game advertising
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The move could trigger wider changes across UK sports broadcasting.
Speculation has emerged that football rights holders may seek comparable arrangements.
Discussions around in-match advertising during Champions League coverage were reportedly raised last year, though nothing has been confirmed.
The development comes as media executives grapple with declining advertising revenues across the sector, potentially prompting broadcasters to renegotiate terms with competitions including the Premier League.
Six Nations titles: Who has the most?
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The 2026 Six Nations gets underway on Thursday when defending champions France face 2024 winners Ireland in Paris.
England, currently riding an 11-match winning streak and chasing their first championship since 2020, meet Wales at Allianz Stadium on Saturday with a 4.40pm kick-off.
Mark Trinder, ITV Director of Commercial Sales and Partnerships, told the Telegraph: “At ITV throughout 2026, we’re bringing the most exciting advertising opportunities of the year to brands live, free-to-air sport on a scale we’ve never seen before.
“I’m delighted to welcome Samsung and Virgin Atlantic as our first partners for the new picture-in-picture offering, which is sure to be a high-attention format.”
