As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, a new BBC documentary shows former England manager Gareth Southgate tackling a completely different subject: the issues affecting young men in modern-day Britain.
Gareth Southgate: changing the game for young men follows the former footballer and manager as he travels across the UK, speaking to boys and young men about the issues affecting them.
The documentary will be available on BBC iPlayer at 9pm on Monday June 8, broadcast on BBC One at the same time. The hour-long special sees Southgate travel to Essex, Middlesbrough and an unnamed prison to discuss jobs, 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 a strong advocate for young men’s issues.
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Gareth Southgate: Game changer for young men
Gareth Southgate: Game changer for young men broadcast date and time
Gareth Southgate: changing the game for young men will be broadcast on BBC One at 9pm on Monday June 8. The hour-long documentary will also be available on BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards.
As a special documentary, Change the game is a unique case. Those interested in Gareth Southgate’s own story should take a look Dear Englandwhich dramatizes his time at the head of the England national team.
Why is Gareth Southgate making a documentary about young men?
Gareth Southgate is best known for managing the England national football team from 2016 to 2024, but the former footballer made headlines again in 2025 thanks to his outspoken views on issues affecting boys and young men.
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.
Concerns about the manosphere – an informal network of influencers and podcasters who promote male supremacist and misogynist views – grew in 2026 with the release of Louis Theroux’s book. Inside the manosphere documentary.
Southgate’s approach aims to help young men and boys avoid the fear of failure and pursue achievement in their own lives. In a BBC statement, Southgate said: “I hope this documentary will go some way to changing the national debate and encourage us all to support [young men] realizing their potential.
Gareth Southgate: Game changer for young men – watch here
Here is the link to watch Gareth Southgate: changing the game for young men when the first episode goes live at 9 p.m. on Monday June 8.
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