Poor Picture Quality at the World Cup? Here’s Why

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• Some viewers find the TV footage of the World Cup unfamiliar and are criticizing, among other things, the way movement is rendered, the colors, and the picture quality.
• The reasons for this include technical differences between North American and European TV standards, as well as stadiums designed for American football, which feature higher camera positions.
• The SRG, however, is not aware of any differences from the usual picture quality.

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The World Cup draws countless soccer fans to their TV screens every day—but not without some grumbling: Several posts on social media claim that the TV footage looks unfamiliar. The picture quality is said to be poorer, movements appear different, and even the grass suddenly looks yellow instead of green.

Much of the criticism is directed at the broadcasts by the German networks ARD and ZDF. However, readers have contacted blue News to report that they also notice a difference from the usual quality on SRF.

In fact, there are several technical reasons why TV images from North America may seem unusual to European viewers. A major reason lies in the different TV standards. In North America, productions traditionally run at just under 60 frames per second, while in Europe the standard is 50.

Football Stadiums Instead of Soccer Stadiums

At first glance, the difference seems minor, but it can become apparent in fast-paced sports. When signals must be adapted for the European market, the way movement sequences are displayed changes slightly. This can make the picture look different—especially during quick passes, long balls, or camera pans—compared to, say, Super League broadcasts.

The stadiums themselves also play a role. Many of the arenas to be used in the 2026 World Cup were actually designed for American football. As a result, camera positions are often significantly higher than in traditional soccer stadiums in Europe.

This alters the perception of the game: the field appears more compact, distances seem shorter, and the sense of depth is different. For some viewers, this creates the impression of being farther away from the action or seeing a less dynamic picture.

SRF Denies Any Loss of Quality

There are also differences in image processing. American productions sometimes emphasize contrast, brightness, and color saturation differently than European broadcasters. While European broadcasters often aim for the most natural-looking picture possible, U.S. broadcasts may have a different visual style.

For example, the grass may sometimes appear in a different shade, or the entire image may seem differently balanced.

When asked by blue News, the SRG denied any difference from the usual picture quality. However, it noted that this also depends on the respective distributor. For example, streaming providers may experience additional picture issues due to fluctuating data rates.

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