We normally don't discuss specific keywords, but this is quite unusual and the query terms are also quite general so we'll try making an exception to our usual guideline.

Seems to me that Google feels the user intention for this query is VERY strongly oriented toward the BBC's coverage of football. I think it makes sense, taken in that context.

It looks like it is only on Google UK.

I get normal results when I try this query

Curious - I'm searching on google.com from a US IP address and I see two results from BBC's football section (including sitelinks) plus a News result and a video result. Maybe this is an experiment gathering some user data.

tedester I see the exact as you. This is really wierd. I have never seen this before.

I can't seem to find a way to replicate this either.

I see the same as tedster and interestingly if I type my company name (one word) plus one keyword I get a similar result, nothing but my site...wow:-)

There are ads at the top and bottom of the page though.

fits in with what ive been seeing for weeks. Strong brand searches (like bbc above) will show up to 8 reults out of 10 page one and the same again on page 2. Basically a signal of intention that brands are to be protected from all pretenders (like affiliates) when the brand is specifically part of the search. In practicality google is turning into a site search for the individual websites.

I only see 6 results from Canada and 5 from the U.S. on page one.

It's not looking like a search engine anymore, this is what the yellow pages look like!

Ha! That's absurd, I see the same for one of my sites. Makes you feel good though, for a couple of seconds anyway.

But, this is no test if the average user is taken into account. How many users actually go to the 10th entry of page one or the second page. Almost none - 5%?

Maybe this is an attempt to identify which sites really are a "brand" and which aren't.

Must be based on the clickthroughs that the specific search has, and if it crosses beyond a specific threshold, then that site enjoys no competition for that search from now on?

Heh, works out pretty well for my clients who, five or six years ago, changed their name (and trademarked) the generic name of the entire niche. Plus has the domain name to match.

Google not show same number of search result for all keywords - it looks like navigational query, Google tends to show less number of result

I'm seeing the main site, 2 links to youtube, and Google news.

meh - sure the intent is to find the BBC Football site, but Google used to be an amazing way to discover new content by putting it in front of the users eyes when they searched... now it's hiding that away (unless, I suspect, you happen to advertise or use Google+).

What if the user searches for BBC Football and is unaware they have a twitter feed/flickr gallery or other web presence with great content - or perhaps there is a brilliant critique of their coverage from another source...

Ultimately this is sneaking a change in by the back door claiming it's based on 'user intent' when the intent is for Google to force people to pay (or use G+) to feature on the front page.

Bad for users, worse for publishers, terrible for the internet. Good for Google's share price.

@networkliquidators: Of course, plenty of room for Google properties there too! Welcome to the future of the new, smaller "internet"...

This is expanding. Doing a random search for something obscure like "Futuristic LED Wallpaper" yields only 6 results and a lot more images on page one.

It's not about finding good sites anymore and it's not about brands either, what triggers the reduced listings?