Match of the Day presenter and former England captain Gary Lineker will host coverage live from Germany.

He will be accompanied in the studio by Alan Hansen, former England internationals Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Lee Dixon.

World Cup winners Leonardo and Marcel Desailly join the list of big-name pundits, as does Celtic manager Gordon Strachan.

Presenters Manish Bhasin, Adrian Chiles, Gary Lineker & Ray Stubbs Commentators Simon Brotherton, John Motson, Guy Mowbray, Jonathan Pearce & Steve Wilson Co-commentators Mark Bright, Mark Lawrenson, Mick McCarthy & Gavin Peacock

Match commentators are John Motson, Jonathan Pearce, Steve Wilson, Simon Brotherton and Guy Mowbray, with co-commentary from Mark Lawrenson, Mick McCarthy, Gavin Peacock and Mark Bright.

Ray Stubbs will be the BBC's other main presenter while Adrian Chiles fronts the highlights shows.

On Saturdays, Manish Bhasin will present Football Focus.

And along with Gary, Ray and Adrian, Manish will also host some of the BBC's interactive forums.

Garth Crooks will be the man inside the England camp while Celina Hinchcliffe reports from the host cities outside of Berlin. Our three roving reporters will be Ivan Gaskell, Damian Johnson and Rebecca Lowe.

Studio Analysts Marcel Desailly, Lee Dixon, Alan Hansen, Leonardo, Alan Shearer, Gordon Strachan & Ian Wright Reporters Garth Crooks, Ivan Gaskell, Celina Hinchcliffe, Damian Johnson & Rebecca Lowe

The BBC team will have a permanent studio in Berlin at the Akademie Der Kunst which overlooks the Brandenberg Gate.

But they will be on site in Frankfurt for England's opening game against Paraguay and will have exclusive coverage of Sven-Goran Eriksson's men should they make the second round and the quarter-finals.

Tournament soundtrack

The BBC's theme tune for the 2006 World Cup is 'Sports Prepare' by celebrated composer Carl Davis.

Adapted from George Handel's "See the Conquering Hero Comes", Davis conducted this modern rendition with the BBC Concert Orchestra and the BBC Singers.

The original was written by Handel, the 18th century German composer who lived most of his adult life in Great Britain.

In the early 20th century, the piece was often used as victorious football teams returned home - local bands and choirs would perform it as a salute to their team.

Innovation

This World Cup will also be the first football tournament to be broadcast in the UK on High Definition (HD).

HD is a new kind of television which delivers more detailed pictures and sharper shots of fast-moving action than conventional 'standard definition'.

And then there is always the red button...