A missed opportunity for inclusion: RTÉ's Lack of Audio Description for the 2026 World Cup

[Dominique Farrell]

Why the Absence of Audio Description for the 2026 World Cup Matters

 

Ireland is home to approximately 296,000 people who are blind or visually impaired, over 6% of the population, or 1 in every 20 people. While the country has made steady progress in improving media accessibility, significant challenges remain when it comes to ensuring equal access to culture, entertainment, and major global sporting events.

 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the biggest in history, spanning three host nations, multiple time zones, and featuring a record number of teams. It is being presented as a landmark moment for fans, with more ways than ever to engage with the tournament across television, streaming, and digital platforms.

 

As Group Head of RTÉ Sport Declan McBennett noted: “This World Cup is unlike anything we’ve seen before, not just in its size but in the way fans will experience it… we’re making sure audiences can stay connected to the tournament in whatever way suits them.”

 

However, despite this emphasis on accessibility and multi-platform engagement, RTÉ has confirmed that there will be no audio description (AD) available for its World Cup coverage. This omission represents a significant gap in accessibility for blind and visually impaired audiences.

 

Audio description is a vital service that enables people who cannot see visual content to fully understand and enjoy it. Through carefully crafted narration, AD describes key visual elements such as player movements, on-field action, facial expressions, and atmosphere, elements that are essential to experiencing a live sporting event like football.

Without AD, blind and visually impaired fans are effectively excluded from fully engaging with one of the world’s most celebrated sporting events. While traditional commentary provides some context, it does not replace the depth and detail that audio description offers.

 

In Ireland, media accessibility standards are regulated by Coimisiún na Meán (CNAM), formerly the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). Historically, regulations have placed stronger emphasis on subtitling and Irish Sign Language than on audio description.

 

Although RTÉ has exceeded its own AD targets in recent years, achieving 13.8% audio described content on RTÉ 1 and RTÉ 2, and 15% on RTÉ Junior in 2023, these levels remain significantly below international benchmarks. In the UK, major broadcasters such as the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Sky have committed to providing at least 20% of their content with audio description.

Against this backdrop, the absence of AD for an event as significant as the World Cup highlights a continuing imbalance in how accessibility is prioritised.

 For blind and visually impaired football fans in Ireland, there is an alternative.

 

The FIFA Audio Description app provides real-time, professionally produced descriptive commentary, offering detailed insights into gameplay, player movements, and the atmosphere of matches. The app is fully accessible, compatible with screen readers such as VoiceOver, and is available for free on both iOS and Android platforms.
While this solution offers an important workaround, it should not replace the responsibility of national broadcasters.

 

The World Cup is more than just a sporting event, it is a shared cultural moment. It brings people together across communities, countries, and generations. Excluding a significant portion of the population from fully experiencing it undermines the very idea of inclusivity.

 

Improving accessibility is not simply about meeting quotas or regulatory targets. It is about recognising the rights of all audiences to participate equally in cultural life. As Ireland continues to make progress in media accessibility, decisions like this highlight the urgent need to prioritise audio description, not as an afterthought, but as a core component of broadcasting.

The 2026 World Cup presents a global stage.

It should also be an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in accessibility, not a reminder of how far there is still to go.

 

Vision Ireland.