{"slug": "bbc-trialling-tv-licence-change-with-uk-households-sent-warning", "title": "BBC 'trialling' TV Licence change with UK households sent warning", "summary": "The BBC is trialling a new TV Licence reminder during 2026 FIFA World Cup broadcasts, displaying a QR code and on-screen prompt urging viewers to pay the £180 fee. The trial has sparked backlash from viewers who find the reminders annoying, as the BBC faces criticism over funding amid sweeping cuts and reforms.", "body_md": "# BBC 'trialling' TV Licence change with UK households sent warning\n\n## BBC TV Licence fee currently costs £180\n\nThe BBC is \"trialling\" a TV Licence change - with households sent a warning. The [BBC](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/bbc) is hitting people watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup on BBC One with a pop-up warning as the tournament plays out in the US, Canada and Mexico.\n\nThe BBC is displaying an on-screen prompt to pay the £180 charge as the matches play out in North America. Fans watching the games across the pond have been hit with a QR code pop-up and caption: “Buy a TV licence. Scan the QR code.\"\n\nCommentator Guy Mowbray also made reference to it during the broadcast, saying: “A handy reminder that to enjoy the World Cup, you need a TV Licence. If yours needs renewing, you can scan the code that’s on your screen now to do so.”\n\n**READ MORE All the ages at risk from new VPN rules as government issues ban update**\n\nThe reminder is part of a small, limited trial, the BBC told [Birmingham](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/) Live. One X/Twitter user said: “The constant reminders of the TV licence is new to this World Cup and shows how desperate they are. People are leaving in droves.\"\n\nAnother said: “I don’t think they expect to get any extra revenue whatsoever by advertising the TV Licence, they just want to make a political point that you’re watching World Cup football courtesy of the BBC & your licence. I agree it is annoying. Very annoying!!”\n\nIt comes amid the BBC cutting a swathe of shows as part of its sweeping cuts and overwhelming reforms, with plans announced this week.\n\nMajor and beloved shows like Radio 4 favourites are impacted, while some BBC One and BBC Two shows will see production teams merged.\n\nMatt Brittin is the new director-general and fleshed out the changes in a memo to staff earlier this week - with hundreds of roles set to go in the shake-up.\n\nA TV Licensing spokesperson said: “We regularly test new ways of supporting people to get and stay correctly licensed.”\n\nTonight's kick off is at 8pm with the US, the hosts, facing Australia. England next play next week, on Tuesday night, with a clash versus Ghana.\n\nThey follow this up with a 10pm clash with Panama next Saturday night, having beaten Croatia 4-2 in their opening game in Group L.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/bbc-trialling-tv-licence-change-with-uk-households-sent-warning", "canonical_source": "https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/bbc-trialling-tv-licence-change-34148988", "published_at": "2026-06-19 08:17:08+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-19 08:34:55.569805+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy"], "entities": ["BBC", "FIFA", "Guy Mowbray", "Matt Brittin", "TV Licensing"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/bbc-trialling-tv-licence-change-with-uk-households-sent-warning", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/bbc-trialling-tv-licence-change-with-uk-households-sent-warning.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/bbc-trialling-tv-licence-change-with-uk-households-sent-warning.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/bbc-trialling-tv-licence-change-with-uk-households-sent-warning.jsonld"}}