BBC goes 24-hour for the World Cup

Football fans may be able to watch the World Cup 24 hours a day through a new BBC service.

The interactive package will offer viewers the chance to textmessage commentators, click on player-profiles, watch live interviews and replay goals.

For the first time during a World Cup tournament, viewers with digital television will be able to click onto special boxes which will appear on the normal BBC coverage.

This will take them to information about the World Cup, offering highlights of matches, glimpses of training sessions, as well as detailed information about players.

Although the final details still have to be confirmed, a BBC spokesman said that the service was "very exciting".

Scott Gronmark, the BBC's head of interactive television, said: "There will be massive interest in the England team during the World Cup and we are trying to provide the most immersive interactive service there has ever been on television. This one will break all records."

Mr Gronmark said he expected the channel to be used by more than the four million people who used last year's Wimbledon interactive service.

The decision is good news for fans as England prepare for the World Cup, knowing that unsociable kick-off times may put some fans off watching games live. The BBC has undertaken comprehensive interactive services for Wimbledon and the Winter Olympics.

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