BBC iPlayer is a key platform for live sport, giving audiences free and flexible access to coverage wherever and whenever they choose to watch. We are also investing further in delivering digital clips and action from the WXV Global Series on the BBC Sport YouTube channel, in the brand new shorts tab in the BBC Sport app and across our socials, putting women’s rugby directly in front of audiences and in the palm of their hand, enhancing visibility even more. The WXV fixtures are part of our extensive women's rugby portfolio, which includes the Women’s Rugby World Cup, Women’s Six Nations and Premiership Women’s Rugby.

In the first half of 2026, BBC iPlayer was the fastest growing streaming service in the UK in terms of total viewing hours (absolute terms) – and it grew 15% - ahead of all the streamers. In 25/26 – BBC iPlayer also had its best year ever, reaching 80% of the population with the highest ever number of weekly accounts (15.4m) and viewing hours (over 5 billion). This July was iPlayer’s highest ever month thanks to the FIFA World Cup - averaging 20m accounts in a week.

We must be where audiences are and make it easy for them to find what we offer to meet changing audience habits. As audience behaviour continues to shift toward streaming, BBC iPlayer is a key priority.