Over the past nine months, American soccer fans have been diligently flipping between ESPN+ for LaLiga and Bundesliga, Paramount+ for Champions League and Serie A, and NBC for Premier League. But this summer, they're going to have their remote glued to precisely one network for the FIFA World Cup: Fox Sports.
"I'm really proud that we get to broadcast this World Cup - it's a huge responsibility for us," stated Fox's Vice President of Production Zac Kenworthy to FourFourTwo. "As a producer, you want day 40 of the 39-day tournament to roll around and for people to be feel like they're missing a little piece of themselves: 'Oh my goodness, the World Cup's over, what am I going to do with my life?"
"You want to leave a lasting legacy. Look back to what the 1994 World Cup did - the fact that we didn't have a professional league, and now we have a very strong MLS and NWSL. I hope 32 years down the line, people look back at Fox's coverage and say, 'That was a moment that really took us into the maturation phase of our country's soccer timeline."
Zlatan Ibrahimovic signs up to Fox Sports' World Cup squad
Fox Sports already has a decade of experience broadcasting major soccer events, but there's a prevailing sense that this World Cup is bigger than all of those Euros, World Cups, and Copa Américas combined. It's not just a tournament - it's a chance to change the trajectory of soccer in the USA.
This was made evident in Fox's private media reception previewing on Thursday in Manhattan. Kenworthy was joined by a panel of Fox broadcasters, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who arrived via video call. “People have been judging me all my career, so now it’s time for me to judge others," warned Ibrahimovic.
“If you’re going to break against me… then get the f— out.”@Ibra_official x @TomBrady: GOATS on GREATNESS pic.twitter.com/RUfR5dy0W5May 22, 2026
Fox Sports is assembling an all-star cast for the World Cup
"We're putting 70 games on Fox, the most ever, and we have 104 chances to sell this game to this country," stated Fox presenter Rebecca Lowe to FourFourTwo. "The way that Fox's comprehensive coverage is going to be all bells and whistles, every angle covered, we're going to have people everywhere."
Lowe has asserted herself as one of the top soccer presenters in the USA since becoming NBC's lead studio host for the Premier League in 2013, and it's why Fox signed her on loan for this summer's tournament. She's far from the only acquisition - Thierry Henry, Clint Dempsey and Thiago Alcantara are just a few of the new faces who'll be helping lead Fox's coverage.
"This is a real opportunity for this game and this country to take a gigantic step forward," added Lowe. "If you are somebody who likes soccer but doesn't watch it regularly, and you tune into our coverage, I think we're going to capture you with the color, noises, passion, and quality on the pitch....that's going to complement everything."
But whilst Fox have gambled heavily on new talent, they've also remained loyal to their tried and tested voices like Rob Stone, Carli Lloyd, Alexi Lalas and Stu Holden. We have a huge honour and responsibility this summer to be the voice for so many of these fans," Holden told FourFourTwo. "If people can come out of this and turn on their TV for a big game and think of us, then we've done our jobs."
"It's the greatest honour for me when people come up and say, 'You've been the voice of my journey through soccer as a fan.' Me and John Strong, we've become best friends and called so many games together over the years. I'm so excited for this summer, I want to enjoy myself, and I want to make sure in the moment I still find ways to enjoy."
An all-star studio team coming to you this summer for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on FOX. pic.twitter.com/j7zTKDODKgMay 20, 2026
This is the world's game, and Fox have made that apparent with their recruitment. Juan Pablo Ángel is representing Colombia, John Obi Mikel is representing Nigeria, and Peter Schmeichel is representing Denmark. And while he hasn't retired just yet, Javier 'Chicharito' Hernández is taking his first steps into punditry and representing his beloved Mexico.
"First of all, there's no better network than Fox Sports to make huge sports events," Hernandez told FFT. "Secondly, the challenge is more difficult to speak in my second language than my first language. Lastly, it shows that even though we're next-door neighbors, an international network is betting on a Mexican fellow."
"I'm not saying that it's easy to go to another network as a Mexican person and just work, but it should be something aspirational. If I see a Mexican speaking a second language, considering them a legend and in a very important cast, that's why I took this choice. It was a no-brainer for sure."
