Emmerdale viewers are facing weeks of schedule disruption as football takes over ITV’s schedules, and many fans have already had enough.
With episodes moving around, being pulled from the schedule and popping up on different days, some viewers are now calling on ITV to bring back a solution they say worked perfectly during a previous World Cup.
With the World Cup arriving in June, plus qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup, the month is looking very different for soap fans.
The first batch of changes arrived last week. There was no episode on Friday (June 5). Instead, the soap aired an extra episode on Sunday June 7 to make up for it.
Emmerdale was then taken off air again on Tuesday June 9, while Wednesday June 10’s episode aired at 7pm rather than its usual 8pm slot.
Then tonight (Thursday June 11), the soaps are off air once more for the Men’s World Cup Opening Ceremony, followed by the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa.
Viewers will get a catch-up episode, though, as the soaps return to hour-long editions on Friday June 12. Emmerdale airs at 8pm, followed by Coronation Street at 9pm.
Fans demand ITV brings back old solution for football disruption
The ongoing changes have left many Emmerdale fans frustrated.
Some viewers have suggested moving football coverage to ITV2 or ITV3. But ITV is contracted to show the tournament on its main channel. A move is simply not possible.
Instead, fans are now calling for a different solution.
One viewer pointed out on social media: “Last World Cup ITV had a proven plan to upload a full week of Emmerdale on the Monday to ITVX to reduce the impact of the event for all viewers.”
They then questioned why the broadcaster has not introduced the same arrangement this time around.
Many fans agreed.
The idea would allow dedicated viewers to watch a full week’s worth of episodes on ITVX in advance. Meanwhile, those who prefer to watch the soap on television could continue following the revised broadcast schedule.
For many fans, it seems like the simplest way to avoid weeks of confusion.
Shorter Emmerdale episodes haven’t stopped schedule disruption
The latest schedule shake-up comes after ITV introduced major changes to its soap output this year.
In October 2024, ITV began releasing daily episodes of its soaps on ITVX from 7am. Despite concerns from some viewers at the time, alongside a number of cast exits, it was later revealed that the move had proved successful, with viewing figures increasing.
ITV then launched its new soap schedule in January 2026.
The new ‘soap power hour’ sees Emmerdale continue airing five nights a week, with new episodes still available on ITVX every morning from 7am.
The soap also moved to an 8pm slot, while the Thursday double bill was reduced to a single half-hour episode to accommodate additional Coronation Street episodes.
The move created a faster-paced 30-minute format which has already proved popular with viewers.
However, as the latest World Cup disruption shows, even the new schedule cannot completely avoid the impact of major sporting events.
And with more football still to come throughout June, fans may have to get used to keeping a close eye on the TV listings.
