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Fox’s US World Cup summer: wild mispronunciations, Corden’s sad beers and Lowe’s excellence
Fox concluded its television coverage of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, capping an eight-year run as the tournament's English-language broadcaster on US TV that began in 2018. With media rights for 2030 and beyond still to be awarded, this could mark the network's final World Cup, and the Guardian's review reflects on a mixed effort that improved on its widely criticised 2022 coverage but still fell short of excellence.
The review highlights standout figures such as anchor Rebecca Lowe, praised for holding together an unruly panel, alongside more divisive contributions from Landon Donovan, sideline reporter Geoff Shreeves, Tom Rinaldi and "fan correspondent" Jameis Winston. James Corden's late-night show segment, featuring guests' beer glasses that stayed flat and half-full throughout the tournament, is singled out as a fitting metaphor for coverage that never quite delivered a "full pour". Fox reportedly rebalanced its on-air talent for 2026 to include more experienced foreign pundits alongside American presenters, a change credited with lifting standards from the low point of the previous tournament.
In short
- Fox's US World Cup 2026 coverage reviewed as improved but inconsistent
- Rebecca Lowe praised; other presenters drew mixed reactions
- Fox's future as World Cup broadcaster beyond 2026 remains uncertain
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Fox demonstrably improved its World Cup coverage from the widely criticised 2022 tournament, bringing in experienced international talent alongside American presenters and showcasing strong anchoring from Rebecca Lowe. Covering a major global event presents genuine logistical and talent challenges, and the network's efforts to strengthen its lineup should be recognised; critics may be setting impossibly high standards rather than fairly assessing a competent, professional broadcast operation.
The case against
Whilst Fox's improvements from 2022 deserve acknowledgement, the coverage remained substantially below the standard warranted for a prestigious tournament. Persistent issues including mispronunciations, uneven contributions from key talent, and an overall lack of the expertise and polish expected at this level indicate that marginal improvements atop a weak foundation still leave the product fundamentally inadequate for serious coverage of the world's largest sporting event.
Explained simply
The World Cup is football's biggest international tournament, held every four years and watched by billions of people. Fox Television has been the English-language broadcaster of the World Cup in the United States since 2018. Media rights for World Cups from 2030 onwards have not yet been awarded, so this year's coverage could be Fox's last if another broadcaster wins those rights.
A review of Fox's 2026 coverage concluded it was better than the network's widely criticised 2022 broadcast, but still did not meet the highest standards. The on-air team included some presenters who were praised for their work and others whose contributions divided opinion among viewers. Fox had made changes to its presenting staff for 2026, bringing in more experienced international commentators alongside American presenters, a move that reviewers said helped improve the overall quality.
The review examined various aspects of the coverage to assess whether it delivered the standard expected of a major sporting broadcast. The forthcoming decision on who will broadcast the World Cup from 2030 onwards is important to American viewers who depend on quality coverage to follow one of the world's most-watched sporting events.
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