World Cup 2026 drives Rai 1 schedule upheaval and boosts ratings

Rai 1’s prime‑time programme “Notti Mondiali”, a World Cup‑focused show hosted by Alessandro Antinelli, attracted 1.888 million viewers (14.5 % share) on 27 June, confirming the broadcaster’s lead in the first‑part of the evening. Competing Mediaset channels showed mixed results, with Canale 5’s repeat of “Ciao Darwin” drawing 1.360 million viewers (15.4 % share) and other channels posting lower figures.

The tournament also forced repeated pre‑emptions of the popular game show “Affari Tuoi”. The programme was cancelled again on 28 June to accommodate the South Africa‑Canada round‑of‑16 match, and subsequent fixtures will continue to disrupt its slot. Rai 1 plans to resume “Affari Tuoi” on 29 June after the Brazil‑Japan match, with further episodes scheduled around later World Cup games. In contrast, Mediaset’s “La Ruota della Fortuna” will continue its summer run without interruption.