SBS Upfronts | SBS kicks off a confident slate with the 2026 FIFA World Cup2026™ – SBS today unveiled a powerhouse 2026 line-up that combines the biggest global events with daring homegrown storytelling across its distinctive multiplatform network. From the FIFA World Cup 2026™ to fearless documentaries, from bold new Australian drama to food that connects cultures, SBS continues to go where others won’t, telling stories that reflect the Australia of today and connect us with the world.
Acting Managing Director, Jane Palfreyman said:
“Next year will be our biggest year ever. We’re delivering a bold content slate that’s proudly diverse and deeply engaging — from global formats to bold, original storytelling that Australians won’t find anywhere else. In 2026, we’ll also feature a FIFA World CupTM like no other – with 104 matches across three countries, it will captivate the nation and bring Australians together as we cheer for the Socceroos and celebrate the world game”
SBS Director of Television, Kathryn Fink said:
“At SBS, we connect with diverse audiences through a dynamic, multi-channel approach and innovative storytelling. In 2026, we have an exceptional line-up that’s sure to entertain, delight, and at times provoke, with a powerful slate including The People Vs Robodebt, the return of Alone Australia, premium Australian dramas The Chaplain and Reckless, andthe return of popular unscripted series like Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey, The Hospital: In the Deep End and The Jury. We’re also deepening our commitment to Indigenous storytelling, amplifying its presence and prominence, so all Australians can see their stories reflected on screen. We have a clear strategic vision with key content moments throughout the year that spark conversation and connection”
Home to the sporting events that stop the world
In just 282 days, the single largest sporting event in the world, the jewel in the crown of football, kicks off – the FIFA World Cup 2026™. For six weeks, the world will be gripped by football fever, and SBS will do what it does best; deliver inclusive, impactful coverage that celebrates diversity and unites cultures through the beautiful game. Hosted across Canada, Mexico and the USA, spanning 16 cities and featuring a record-breaking 104 matches in a newly expanded 48-team format, SBS will take audiences straight to the heart of North America with unmatched access, world-class commentary and a trusted team of football experts.
As the exclusive broadcaster of the FIFA World Cup 2026TM, SBS will deliver over 550 hours of coverage including every match live in HD, replays, highlights and exclusive pitch-side crosses during the Socceroos’ campaign. On SBS On Demand, fans can dive into the tournament their way via a dedicated FIFA World Cup 26TMhub — the ultimate destination for live matches, catch-up, classic moments and rich behind-the-scenes access. SBS Sport will amplify the action across digital and social with bold, engaging storytelling both on and off the pitch, with a sharp focus on the Socceroos. Rounding out the experience is FIFA+, a new FAST channel offering fans around-the-clock FIFA content and global football stories from both the men’s and women’s games.
Today, SBS is excited to announce the network has secured the exclusive FTArights to the Tour de France Femmes through to 2030. As Australia’s undisputed Home of Cycling, SBS will once again deliver the world’s most iconic cycling events — free and live to all Australians – including the Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, La Vuelta a España, and the thunderous charge of the one-day Classics across Europe.
Documentaries that shift the conversation
In 2026, SBS continues to push the envelope when it comes to tackling the big questions and provoke national conversations starting with The People Vs Robodebt which premieres Wednesday 24 September on SBS On Demand. A political thriller at its core, the searing three-part documentary-drama spotlights the people who took on a powerful system in one of Australia’s darkest recent chapters. Australia Uncovered returns, with the first documentaries in the strand announced today. Shut Your Big Fat Mouth John Safran! sees the author, documentarian, and satirist dissect a very heated topic – the censorship wars raging across Australia. We Are Jeni follows the journey of a woman with 2,500 alter personalities whose battle to be believed by the justice system culminates in a stunning legal first.
Two popular SBS commissions return for their second seasons; The Hospital: In the Deep End sees Matt Preston, Jelena Dokic, and Ruby Rose shine a light on the coalface of healthcare alongside workers at St. Vincent’s Hospital. The ambitious five-part true crime event The Jury is back to recreate a historic, closely contested manslaughter case – word for word – in front of a brand-new jury.
Marc Fennell returns to put contestants through their paces in a new season of the iconic game show Mastermind, as well as two new documentaries; Tell Me What You Really Think is a very different kind of dinner party that sees Marc joined by extraordinary Australians to candidly discuss complex health issues, and in There is No John, he uncovers one of Australia’s greatest unsolved mysteries; the wild true-crime story of John Friedrich.
Alone Australia is back; bolder and harsher
In 2026,the record-breaking smash hit survival series Alone Australia returns for its highly anticipated fourth season in its most ambitious location yet; the spectacular and intimidating wilds of the Arctic Circle. Flipping the globe and dialling up the intensity, this next season puts 10 new participants directly into the face of an oncoming and ever-intensifying Northern Hemisphere winter with subzero temperatures, deep snows, frozen lakes and icy forests. With no camera crews they must try to survive by their own wits and ingenuity to be the last person standing and take home $250,000.
From ancestry to anthems here and abroad
For 16 years, popular genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are? has surprised and delighted audiences with secrets from the past. In 2026, Essie Davis, Chrissie Swan, Aaron Pedersen, and Bruce McAvaney are among the next line-up of iconic Australians. Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey returns for a new season where the comedian will whisk six well-known Australians on six immersive odysseys through the countries of their origin, delving deeply into their culture, history, and identity, while uncovering tales that just might redefine the rest of their lives… or at the very least make them laugh in the moment. After captivating 2.62 million Australians this year, the Eurovision Song Contest returns with star commentary team Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act to guide Australians through the glittering spectacle LIVE from Vienna, Austria.
Curated collections of global blockbusters and hidden gems
SBS continues to bring audiences premium international drama, from blockbusters to the next big series everyone will be talking about; King & Conqueror, an epic saga of power and betrayal starring James Norton and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and three highly anticipated book adaptations that will soon steal the spotlight. What It Feels Like for a Girl is a Y2K coming of age story based on the life of Paris Lees that explores gender identity and self-discovery. Trespasses starring Gillian Anderson looks at forbidden love, family tensions, and the dangers of the Troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1970s.
From the producers of acclaimed series Salisbury Poisonings and The Responder (Dancing Ledge) comes the brand-new landmark BBC One series A Love Story which follows the emotional true story of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s imprisonment in Iran and long-awaited reunion with her family. Also on offer, a strong selection of world movies to choose from, including the critically acclaimed mystery Anatomy of a Fall, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, French period romance starring Juliette Binoche The Taste of Things, and Australian horror flick starring Shari Sebbens The Moogai.
Australian drama with heart and bite
SBS will be unveiling two ambitious new SBS Original dramas in the year ahead. The Chaplain is a big-hearted airport drama inspired by the real-life experiences of Melbourne Airport’s Chaplain. The fast-paced series dives into the high stakes of a bustling international airport to reveal our shared humanity with deep emotion and humour. A co-commission with NITV, Reckless is an audacious First Nations drama by writer and Executive Producer Kodie Bedford, starring Tasma Walton and Hunter Page-Lochard as two feuding siblings whose lives spiral wildly out of control after covering up a deadly hit and run.
SBS is proud to continue elevating new and under-represented voices in front of and behind the camera and is excited to reveal three new Australian drama series through SBS and Screen Australia’s trailblazing Digital Originals initiative. Fish Boi is the story of a scorned hustler fighting to save his family’s livelihood and win back their respect by starting Western Sydney’s biggest fish delivery business; Homebodies sees Darcy return home to his estranged mother only to discover her living with the teenage ghost of his pre-transition self, and Miss Sultanah follows sisters Alana and Nicky who band together to host Sultanah’s first disabled-only beauty pageant and save their beauty queen mother’s legacy.
Unmissable First Nations stories
NITV continues to champion bold, unapologetic Blak stories that capture the strength and spirit of Community across the nation. Landmark documentary series 2.6 Seconds is a co-commission with NITV that powerfully examines the fatal, shocking moments behind the headlines that gripped the nation and the world; when 19-year-old Walpiri Luritja teenager, Kumanjayi Walker was shot three times in close range by 27-year-old police officer Zachary Rolfe.
In Colleano Heart, a circus family’s hidden legacy unfolds as descendants reunite across continents, uncovering their Aboriginal ancestry, global stardom, and the extraordinary secrets they kept to survive.
Their story is brought to life through the Colleano family’s remarkable home funded movies, never-before seen footage, family interviews and archival recordings. Our Medicine returns to shine an important light on First Nations frontline workers taking back control of Indigenous health. NITV will also continue to curate a unique collection of locally and globally acquired programs, including Earth Oven where Māori actor Temuera Morrison heads off on a globe-trotting adventure to visit communities and uncover how earth ovens shaped their cultures.
Going Places with Ernie Dingo also returns with Mark Coles Smith and Brooke Blurton amongst some of the guests who visit some of Australia’s most significant landmarks, exploring local secrets, diverse inhabitants and the history of a majestic environment.
Beyond recipes, into the world
SBS remains Australia’s leading destination for premium food programming, serving up mouthwatering flavours and breathtaking locations from across the globe. Starting later this month Beyond Bali with Lara Lee, acclaimed television personality, author and chef embarks on an intimate and unexpected adventure to the islands of the Indonesian archipelago, discovering a world of surprising new flavours and her own rich culinary heritage.
In Shane Delia’s Malta, the culinary force returns to the land of his ancestors to explore the flavours, stories, and history that define Malta’s food identity. Adam Liaw returns with SBS’s largest commissioned food series, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw. Also launching is Adam Liaw’s Great Football Feasts, a new series filmed across FIFA World Cup host nations Canada, Mexico and the USA. Adam explores the delicious intersection of food and sport, meeting locals and creating game-day dishes inspired by each country.
For Rick Stein’s Australia, the celebrated chef embarks on a deeply personal and revelatory journey, retracing his life-changing adventures as a 19-year-old, as he uncovers how Australia and its food is changing in exciting new ways.
Also out on the road is Matt Preston’s Food Adventures, the gregarious food critic travels through some of Australia and New Zealand’s finest wine regions, connecting with locals, farmers, foragers, winemakers, artisans, and other colourful characters to shine a light on the great people who grow our amazing produce.
Also, step into the vibrant heart of North and Far North Queensland with the second season of Taste of the Tropics; a series created through an initiative between SBS, Screen Queensland and Screenworks, the series showcases three episodes created by three teams of emerging regional storytellers, capturing the flavour of a region where food is a conduit for connection, identity and pride.
News that recognises the other 192 countries on the planet
In 2026, SBS’s news line-up will again be underpinned by SBS World News; a trusted cornerstone of evening TV viewing and one of Australia’s most read news websites, while SBS’s dedicated 24-hour channel SBS WorldWatch features news bulletins from leading international broadcasters in more than 35 languages.
On Tuesday nights, Insightreturns with host Kumi Taguchi to provide a judgment-free forum for nuanced discussions around taboo topics. Award-winning current affairs will continue to deepen your understanding, with Australia’s longest running international current affairs program.Dateline delivering brave and compelling stories from around the world. Next year, Insight and Dateline will be extended on SBS On Demand as two FAST channels, meeting audiences where they are.
Innovation beyond content
In addition to its bold content slate for 2026, SBS announced a series of innovations across its SBS On Demand platform, including new restart, pause and rewind functions and three new FAST channels. The broadcaster also announced the launch of industry-leading sustainability initiatives, market-first research into advertising effectiveness, a new closed loop unified data product offering, and the ongoing success of the Beyond 3% initiative driving investment in First Nations media. For more information, visit the SBS Media Centre here
Screen Australia provided production investment for newly announced projects including The Chaplain with VicScreen, Shut Your Big Fat Mouth John Safran with VicScreen, and returning seasons of The Hospital: In the Deep End with Screenwest and Our Medicine with Screenwest.
Media Release – SBS
Link to SBS on Demand HERE
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SBS Upfronts | SBS kicks off a confident slate with the 2026 FIFA World Cup2026™
