As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, a new BBC documentary shows former England manager Gareth Southgate tackling a completely different topic: the issues affecting young people in Britain today.
Gareth Southgate: changing the game for young men Follow the former footballer and coach as he travels around the UK, speaking to children and young people about the issues that affect them.
The documentary will be available on BBC iPlayer at 9pm on Monday 8 June and will be broadcast on BBC One at the same time. In the one-hour special, Southgate travels to Essex, Middlesbrough and an unnamed prison to talk about employment, education and crime.
Southgate managed the England team from 2016 to 2024, leading the team to the finals and semi-finals of the World Cup and other tournaments and becoming something of a British icon in the process. Since leaving his role as head coach, Southgate has been an outspoken advocate for young men’s issues.
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Gareth Southgate: FAQ on changing the game for young men
Gareth Southgate: Changing the game for young men broadcast date and time
Gareth Southgate: changing the game for young men will air on BBC One at 9pm on Monday 8 June. The one-hour documentary will also be available on BBC iPlayer shortly after.
As a special documentary, changing the game It’s something unique. Those interested in Gareth Southgate’s own story should check it out. Dear Englandwhich dramatizes his time in charge of the England team.
Why is Gareth Southgate making a documentary about young men?
Gareth Southgate is best known for his time as coach of the England football team from 2016 to 2024, but the former footballer made headlines again in 2025 thanks to his outspoken opinions on issues affecting children and young people.
As a speaker at the BBC’s annual Richard Dimbley Lecture in 2025 (via BBC News), Southgate criticized the effect of adult and manipulative online content, social media and gaming on boys and young men in Britain, also suggesting that young men lack role models to look up to.
Concerns about the manosphere (a loose network of influencers and podcasters who promote misogynistic and male supremacist views) have increased in 2026 with the launch of Louis Theroux. Inside the Manosphere documentary.
Southgate’s approach emphasizes helping young men and boys avoid the fear of failure and pursue achievements in their own lives. In a BBC statement, Southgate said: “I hope this documentary goes some way to changing the national conversation and encourages us all to support [young men] in realizing their potential.”
Gareth Southgate: Changing the game for young men – see here
Here is the link to watch it. Gareth Southgate: changing the game for young men when the first episode airs at 9pm on Monday June 8.
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