Fox’s World Cup Surge Could End in Heartbreak
The Future of World Cup Broadcasting: What Happens After Fox?
What’s Going on With the World Cup on TV?
Imagine you’re watching the World Cup — the biggest soccer tournament on the planet — on your TV. For the last few tournaments, a channel called Fox has been the one showing the games in the United States. But here’s the thing: that might change very soon.
Fox’s current deal to broadcast the World Cup ends after the 2026 tournament, which will be held across Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. That means the 2030 World Cup (and beyond) is completely up for grabs.
Who Might Win the Next World Cup Rights?
Think of it like a giant auction where the biggest media companies in the world are bidding on a prize. The winner will almost certainly pay way more than the $485 million Fox paid for its current deal. Here are the possible winners:
- Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV+, or DAZN
- Traditional TV networks like CBS, NBC, or ESPN
Netflix Is Already Making Moves
Netflix, the company you probably use to watch movies and shows, is getting into live sports in a big way. They’ve already locked in the rights to broadcast the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031 in the U.S. and Canada. They’ve also picked up smaller packages of NFL, MLB, and boxing events. The global popularity of the World Cup makes it a very attractive prize for these streaming giants.
Important Point: The World Cup is watched by billions of people around the world. That kind of audience is like gold for any TV network or streaming service, which is why the next rights deal will be so expensive.
Why Will the Rights Cost So Much More?
A few things are driving up the price:
- More competition — Streaming companies now want live sports, which they didn’t care about before.
- A new game format — FIFA (the organization that runs the World Cup) is experimenting with a controversial new "quarters-style" setup instead of the traditional two halves. This creates extra breaks in the game, which means more opportunities for advertisers to show commercials during the action. More ad slots = more money = even higher rights fees.
- FIFA sells rights country by country — Instead of one global deal, FIFA negotiates separately with each country. Some places, like England, have strict rules that require World Cup games to be shown on free-to-air channels (channels anyone can watch without paying). This makes the whole process more complicated.
The NFL Looms Over Everything
Here’s something that might surprise you: the NFL (American football) affects World Cup TV deals. The NFL is the most valuable property in American television, and it’s currently locked into massive contracts worth over $110 billion across 11 years. The NFL has hinted it might use special "opt-out" clauses at the end of the decade to demand even more money. That means networks and streamers have to think carefully about how much they can spend on anything — including the World Cup.
Fox Might Not Be the Favorite Anymore
Even though Fox is having a great tournament right now, experts say it’s probably not the favorite to win the next World Cup rights. The competition is going to be fierce, and deep-pocketed streamers are hungry for big live events.
How Fox Is Covering the World Cup Right Now
The Zlatan & Lalas Formation
Fox had its best day of the group stage not just because of exciting games on the field, but because of a clever change in their studio setup.
For the U.S. team’s second game (a 2-0 win over Australia), Fox tried something new in their Los Angeles studio:
- Rebecca Lowe was in the center, flanked by soccer legends Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović — a trio of three experts working together.
- Meanwhile, Alexi Lalas was over 1,100 miles away in Seattle, outside the stadium, alongside Rob Stone, Clint Dempsey, and Carli Lloyd. Their setup had a fun, energetic, "College GameDay"-style fan atmosphere.
The result? The coverage felt nuanced, passionate, and almost celebratory.
Important Point: The suggestion here is to keep the two groups separate — Lowe, Henry, and Zlatan as one polished studio team, and Lalas with Stone and company as the on-the-ground crew. This split gives viewers the best of both worlds: expert analysis and electric atmosphere.
Starting July 4, Fox plans to take the entire crew on the road together for the knockout rounds.
The Search for America’s Great Soccer Play-by-Play Voice
In soccer broadcasting, the play-by-play announcer is the person who calls the action as it happens — describing every pass, every shot, every goal. The article raises an interesting question: When will America have its own truly great soccer voice?
Here’s where things stand:
- John Strong is Fox’s No. 1 announcer and will call his third World Cup final. He’s solid and knows soccer inside and out, but he doesn’t quite have the natural rhythm that top English announcers like Ian Darke (Fox’s No. 2) possess.
- J.P. Dellacamera has one of the longest careers in American soccer broadcasting, but his commentary sometimes lacks important details and emotional punch.
- Tyler Terens, at just 32, is showing real promise in his first World Cup but needs more experience.
The big question is whether a younger generation of broadcasters — names like Noah Eagle or Ryan Ruocco — could become the go-to American soccer voice.
Important Point: The article makes a key observation — the best play-by-play announcers in any sport develop their feel for the game over a lifetime. You can’t just learn the "language" of soccer later in life and reach the top level. Fox once tried to convert famous announcer Gus Johnson into a soccer voice, but it didn’t work because he didn’t grow up immersed in the sport. The hope is that as more young Americans grow up playing and watching soccer, a true American soccer broadcasting legend will eventually emerge.
American Analysts Are Already World-Class
While the play-by-play search continues, American game analysts (the experts who break down the action and explain strategy) are already among the best in the world:
- Stu Holden (Fox) and Taylor Twellman (Apple) are considered the two best TV soccer analysts in the U.S.
- Holden, for example, brilliantly explained why Christian Pulisic was substituted into a game that didn’t really matter — it was about shaking off rust after a calf injury, even at the risk of getting hurt again.
- Clint Dempsey has become much more comfortable on air compared to his performance during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
- Carli Lloyd is praised for her willingness to speak her mind honestly.
The Ratings Are Huge
The numbers tell an incredible story:
- 84.3 million Americans watched at least some of the World Cup on Fox or FS1 during the first two rounds of group-stage games.
- If the U.S. makes it to the World Cup final, it could draw 50 million viewers in America alone.
- Both Fox and Telemundo (the Spanish-language broadcaster) are enjoying astonishingly strong ratings.
Summary
| Topic | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| Future Rights | Fox’s World Cup deal ends after 2026; the next rights holder will pay much more than $485 million |
| Streaming Competition | Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, Apple TV+, and DAZN are all potential bidders |
| Women’s World Cup | Netflix already owns U.S./Canada rights for 2027 and 2031 |
| Higher Rights Fees | FIFA’s new game format creates more ad breaks, driving up costs |
| NFL Impact | The NFL’s massive TV deals affect how much anyone can spend on World Cup rights |
| Fox’s Studio Setup | Splitting Zlatan/Henry/Lowe and Lalas/Stone into separate teams works well |
| Play-by-Play Gap | America still lacks a truly elite soccer play-by-play voice, but young talent is emerging |
| Analysts | Stu Holden and Taylor Twellman are already world-class |
| Ratings | 84.3 million Americans have watched; a U.S. final could hit 50 million |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why might the World Cup leave traditional TV for a streaming service?
A: Streaming companies like Netflix and Amazon are willing to pay enormous amounts for live sports because sports bring in huge audiences that watch in real time — which is very valuable for advertisers. As more people cancel cable TV, streaming services see live sports as a way to attract and keep subscribers.
Q: What is FIFA’s "quarters-style" setup?
A: Instead of playing two long halves (like traditional soccer), FIFA is experimenting with dividing the game into four quarters. This creates natural breaks where more commercials can be shown, which generates more advertising revenue — and that’s one reason the next World Cup rights will cost so much more.
Q: Why doesn’t America have a great soccer play-by-play announcer yet?
A: The best play-by-play announcers develop their feel for a sport over a lifetime — usually starting from childhood. Soccer has only recently become hugely popular in the U.S., so the first generation of Americans who grew up deeply immersed in the sport is just now entering the broadcasting world. Give it time, and a true American soccer voice will likely emerge.
Q: How much did Fox pay for the current World Cup rights?
A: Fox paid $485 million for its current deal, which covers multiple tournaments. The next deal is expected to cost significantly more due to increased competition from streaming services and new advertising opportunities.
Q: Could the World Cup final really get 50 million viewers in the U.S.?
A: According to Fox’s own data team, yes — if the U.S. team makes it to the final, around 50 million Americans are expected to tune in. To put that in perspective, that’s roughly one in every six people in the entire country!
