FOX Sports Delivers a Winning Formula for the FIFA World Cup 2026
John MoloriThu, June 25, 2026 at 4:06 AM UTC·7 min readThe 2026 FIFA World Cup with coverage on FOX Sports and FS1 has been different this year. There seems to be a palpable and visceral energy emanating from the screen as we watch these athletes and coaches from around the globe.
Off the pitch, the United States has wholeheartedly embraced both fans and players from visiting teams. Most notably, Boston became the new second home of the Scotland club and its fans, who joyously drank the region dry while their team played at the World Cup’s Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
AdvertisementAdvertisementEveryone expects that top-flight teams like Argentina and France would put on a show for fans. However, all of the teams have brought their respective A-games with flair and excitement. The same can be said for the on-air personalities calling and commenting on the action. FOX’s FIFA World Cup Today studio show team of Rob Stone, Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Alexi Lalas has been outstanding, bringing more sparkle to this already star-studded spectacle.
I am pleased that FIFA no longer tries to turn non-soccer fans into soccer fans. Instead, this year’s World Cup has presented the best of what the game offers, thereby drawing eyeballs to the action.
Soccer Kicks Different
One of the most heart-palpitating matches featured a Group I tilt between Norway and Senegal on Monday, June 22. The game came right down to the wire, with more than nine minutes of extra time and Norway pulling out a 3-2 victory. This game also showcased another group of FOX’s World Cup broadcasters. Englishman Ian Darke on play-by-play and U.S. soccer legend Landon Donovan providing color analysis. They were joined by rules analyst Dr. Joe Machnik and pitchside reporter Katie Shanahan.
AdvertisementAdvertisementSoccer is a totally different game from a broadcasting standpoint because there is so much time and space to fill. With so many moments of inaction, soccer makes baseball look like the Kentucky Derby. There is a lot of downtime as players strategically plot movement on the pitch. As well as numerous stoppages in play.
It is incumbent upon the announcers to make this idleness interesting. Darke and Donovan were outstanding. Creating the best collaboration between England and the United States since the Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Darke is one of the truly iconic voices of international soccer. He has been with ESPN since 2010 and has called most of the major soccer tournaments in the world on both the men’s and women’s sides.
Donovan is a certified American soccer legend who has broadcast some of the world’s most prestigious tournaments. He played in three World Cups for the United States and retired in 2018. He’s tied with former teammate Clint Dempsey as the all-time leading scorer in USMNT history. Donovan is also one of the greatest MLS players of all time, with the league’s MVP trophy now bearing his name.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe famed British announcer and megastar American player have matched together better than Emily Blunt and John Krasinski.
They captured the drama of the Norway-Senegal game. FOX’s cameras did an excellent job showcasing the intense action on the pitch. From players violently butting heads to cramping to the point of being unable to walk. The match became highly emotional, with plenty of chirping back and forth between the Senegalese and Norwegian players.
Donovan was particularly impressive in discussing how Senegal did not quit despite trailing by two goals late in the game. After Norway’s victory, Darke noted that despite Senegal’s tireless effort, it would now be difficult for the team to avoid eventual elimination from the tournament.
Sensational Studio Coverage
FOX’s World Cup studio analysts have been just as terrific, and not just the aforementioned Ibrahimovic and Lalas. Following the Norway-Senegal game, FS1’s FIFA World Cup Today featured host Pien Meulensteen, Mikel John Obi, Juan Pablo Angel, and Javier Hernandez. The quartet discussed the next round of Group I games. Those featured France vs. Norway in what should be a tremendous match. Meulensteen brings a dignified enthusiasm to her role as studio host. It is very difficult to get the most out of three desk analysts, but she did an expert job distributing questions and airtime.
All of FOX’s studio experts bring impressive soccer resumes. Hernandez scored goals for Mexico in three FIFA World Cups. He was also part of the country’s 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup championship team. I like his straightforward and direct approach to analyzing past and upcoming games. Angel has eight career FIFA World Cup qualifying goals for Colombia. He views the matches with a serious and strategic mien. Obi brings an exciting and upbeat approach to the studio desk. The former captain of Nigeria’s 2018 FIFA World Cup team discussed how Norway has effectively withstood the pressure of World Cup play.
After a break, Meulensteen went right into highlights of Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria in Group J play. The match was highlighted by Lionel Messi’s 17th and 18th career World Cup goals. He’s now the tournament’s all-time leading scorer and moving him past Germany’s Miroslav Klose.
While we are still early in the 2026 World Cup, this performance by Messi places him squarely among those sports icons known by a single name: Jordan, Gretzky, Brady, Ruth, and Ali.
While narrating highlights of the game, the FS1 commentators discussed the collective field vision of the Argentine team. Noting how the players know where their teammates will be and can make pinpoint passes. Angel commented that Messi seems to be playing with a bit more serenity, perhaps because Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
AdvertisementAdvertisementMeulensteen joined the discussion, pointing out that the Argentine team recognizes the firepower on its roster and game plans to create easy scoring chances. Obi, Angel, and Hernandez worked exceptionally well together. They played off one another and genuinely listened to the comments and topic shifts introduced by Meulensteen. You could sense their preparation, knowledge, and extensive experience in the sport.
Showcasing The World’s Game
I have been impressed with several of FOX’s international World Cup talents. These include Jacqui Oatley and Warren Barton, who reported live from Santa Clara while previewing the Group J match between Jordan and Algeria. This edition of FIFA World Cup Today also examined the early struggles of Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portugal team. Meulensteen, Obi, Angel, and Hernandez were joined live from Houston by Natalie Gedra, who reported on Ronaldo’s woes and what Portugal must do to live up to its pre-World Cup hype as the favorite in Group K. Shanahan also appeared on the show, offering a strong postgame interview with Norway’s Erling Haaland. The charismatic striker was the star of the match against Senegal, scoring two goals.
This impressive group of talents, many of whom are unknown to the mainstream American audience, are bringing information, analysis, and perspective to an already scintillating 2026 FIFA World Cup. They are showing that international superstars are not only on the pitch, but also on the air.
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John Molori is a weekly columnist for Barrett Sports Media. He has previously contributed to ESPNW, Patriots Football Weekly, Golf Content Network, Methuen Life Magazine, and wrote a syndicated Media Blitz column in the New England region, which was published by numerous outlets including The Boston Metro, Providence Journal, Lowell Sun, and the Eagle-Tribune. His career also includes fourteen years in television as a News and Sports Reporter, Host, Producer working for Continental Cablevision, MediaOne, and AT&T. He can be reached on Twitter @MoloriMedia.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
