The last time the World Cup was held in Brazil, victory for Uruguay was such a shock to the hosts that it plunged an entire nation into mourning. Sixty-four years later, those two South American nations won’t be the only near neighbours to resume a bitter rivalry.

In contrast to four years ago in South Africa, when the BBC was based in Cape Town and ITV’s studio was in Johannesburg, the two British broadcasters are operating in Fifa-built studios next door to one another, with views of Copacabana Beach.

Although they begin the World Cup as rivals – sharing 64 matches equally between them and going head to head only for the final – in truth, far more unites the broadcasters than separates them.

For both the BBC and ITV, big live football matches are a rare chance to turn the clock back to the days before pay-TV transformed the sports broadcasting landscape.

“It’s a healthy degree of competition,” ITV’s main anchor, Adrian Chiles, says of his former BBC colleagues, who will be led by Gary Lineker.

“We all know each other. Their studio is right next to ours. I wouldn’t compare us against them. We’ve got a different offering. I do it differently to Gary and people will decide which they like more.

“You could put anyone, a first-timer, presenting an England game and you’d get a 20-million audience. I know my place.”

The presence of the World Cup on the so-called “crown jewels” list of events protected for free-to-air television under government legislation means that for a month football dominates the BBC and ITV schedules, with Sky Sports and BT Sport relegated to a supporting role.

“This is a one-off occasion, it’s a pinnacle moment. Therefore, it’s all the more special for it to be available on the two top network channels. That’s why it has such an impact,” says BBC Director of Sport Barbara Slater of the peculiar joy and pain of England’s odyssey through major tournament football since 1966.

“It’s standout, and it’s universal in its appeal because everyone is experiencing it at the same time.”

Even with the surfeit of high-octane, live sport on television, filling endless channels that drive triple-play offerings and big subscription businesses, there remains something especially alluring about a World Cup.

Ian Wright, one of ITV’s pundits, waxes lyrical about the evocative nostalgia of beaming in a World Cup from the other side of the globe and the memories that are made as a result.

“The first World Cups I remember are from the 1970s. The colours and the kits and the players all looked magnificent,” he recalls.

Yet the contest also offers the opportunity to look forward. Both ITV and the BBC are heavily pushing their “second screen” experiences and talking up the extent to which this will be the first World Cup when social media has been truly mainstream.

Both broadcasters have said they want to do all they can to convey the colour and culture of a Brazilian World Cup to viewers at home

“The modern offering provides for everybody, however you want to consume it – whatever, whenever or on any device,” she adds.

The BBC’s “World Cup live” service allows users to follow the live action with a mix of commentary from either BBC Television or Radio 5 Live, plus text updates garnered from Twitter and elsewhere around the web.

For matches to which the BBC has the rights, a video player presents the live action and allows fans to catch up on highlights so far, as well as to follow particular players around the pitch.

As with Sky’s pioneering second-­screen app, developed throughout last season’s Premier League campaign, specific viewing experiences designed to be followed on a tablet or smart phone are becoming smoother and more sophisticated.

As well as its own “second-screen” offering, ITV is trumpeting the fact that it is replaying key highlights of late-night matches on its online player and providing a podcast hosted by Alan Davies.

With some games kicking off at 11:00pm BST, the BBC is also supplying audiences with short, 15-minute highlights programmes to download via iPlayer while travelling to work or school.

This time around, deciding which broadcaster would air which England matches (normally a fraught affair) fell fairly neatly into place.

The BBC got England’s opener – the “rumble in the jungle” against Italy in the steamy Amazonian city of Manaus.

That was less attractive to ITV due to the late kick-off. Instead, it plumped for the commercial certainty of England’s second and third games against Uruguay and Costa Rica, respectively.

As both kick off during UK primetime, ITV has been able to sell advertising slots up front at a premium.

Should England progress beyond the first round, the BBC has rights to the first knockout match.

Both broadcasters report an upsurge in interest surrounding matches not involving England in recent World Cup tournaments. This suggests the world of football is becoming a smaller place.

Many famous faces from the English Premier League and other European leagues regularly shown by Sky and BT Sport will be playing in Brazil.

Almost as traditional as penalty shoot-out heartache for England are the familiar accusations that the licence-fee-funded BBC overspends when it comes to major sporting events.

"Some want to live and breathe it, immerse themselves for six weeks across every platform. Others are your main eventers, if you like, and come in for the big matches"

This time, Slater got her retaliation in first by announcing that its staff across TV, radio and online has shrunk to 272 – down from 295 in 2010 – but they will produce 50% more content. ITV is taking around 120 staff to Brazil.

Both broadcasters have said they want to do all they can to convey the colour and culture of a Brazilian World Cup to viewers at home.

They also both sweated on the last-minute nature of preparations, which saw organisers racing to install broadcasting infrastructure before the tournament kicked off.

ITV’s line-up includes Roy Keane, Fabio Cannavaro, Lee Dixon, Gus Poyet, Patrick Vieira, Glenn Hoddle and Ian Wright. Andros Townsend, the Tottenham winger who played a key role in getting England to the finals, but then missed out on the final squad through injury, will join his namesake Andy, the eloquent former PFA Chairman, Clarke Carlisle, and Martin O’Neill.

The BBC has added some Gallic flair in the shape of Thierry Henry, together with fellow debutants Phil Neville and Rio Ferdinand, to its Match of the Day roster of Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Robbie Savage et al.

At the other end of the scale, Alan Hansen will hang up his BBC punditry jumper for good following the final.

The one thing neither broadcaster can do is predict how Roy Hodgson’s young side will perform.

But, along with the rest of the football nation, both will be desperately hoping they can at least emerge from the group stages.

England’s quarter-final loss to Italy in Euro 2012 was the year’s third-most watched programme in a top 10 dominated by big sporting events. Audiences peaked at 23 million as the side exited, inevitably, on penalties.

 

A bluffer’s guide to Brazil 2014

Do say...

‘England can play without fear’ – Expectations have been lowered from their usual stratospheric levels. Free of the baggage of the past, the hope is that England’s youngsters can take their opportunities where they find them.

‘Another coffee, please’ – Some matches, including England’s opener against Italy, don’t kick off until 11:00pm British Summer Time.

‘History favours Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay’ – No European country has ever won the World Cup on South American soil.

Don’t say...

‘Is that stadium finished?’ – Fifa faced a race against time to ensure organisers finished and fitted out the 12 stadia in time for the opening match on 12 June.

‘Is this the new golden generation?’ – It might be England’s second-­youngest squad ever, but we’re supposed to be downplaying expectations, remember?

‘Where’s Sepp Blatter?’ – Wisely, Fifa’s controversial president has opted not to make his customary appearance on the pitch, given the prospect of protests targeting Fifa.