Upper Left Corner (L-R): Dr. Joe Machnik, Jorge Perez-Navarro
Row 3 (L-R): Maria Komandnaya, Ian Joy, Mark Followill, Rachel Bonnetta, Warren Barton, Rodolfo Landeros (upper right, seated)
Row 2 (L-R): Tony Meola, Fernando Fiore (central, standing), JP Dellacamera, Glenn Davis, Derek Rae
Front Row (L-R): Sergey Gordeev, Cobi Jones, Kate Abdo, Stu Holden, John Strong, Alexi Lalas, Aly Wagner, Rob Stone, Mariano Trujillo, Jenny Taft (e Pugliese for FOX Sports)
LOS ANGELES — FOX Sports Wednesday unveiled its lineup of international broadcasters for the World Cup.
The event will be televised on FOX and FS1 from June 14 to July 15.
The broadcast team of play-by-play announcers, match analysts, studio hosts and commentators combine for a wealth of international on-field and television experience, including World Cups, UEFA Champions League, FIFA Confederations Cups, Olympic Games, UEFA European Championships, CONCACAF Gold Cups and FA Cups.
“We have assembled a team of unparalleled talent with diverse experience and world-class knowledge for the summer’s biggest global sporting event,” FOX Sports vice president of Production David Neal said. “Each member of the FOX Sports roster brings his or her unique experience, style and perspective on the beautiful game to help us create an unforgettable viewer experience.”
The lineup is comprised of six broadcast teams led by play-by-play announcer John Strong and former U.S. men’s national team midfielder Stu Holden. The duo will kick off its World Cup, calling the highly anticipated Portugal-Spain match Friday, June 15 (2 p.m. ET, FOX). Play-by-play announcer JP Dellacamera and former U.S. international goalkeeper Tony Meola will call host country Russia’s first group stage match against Saudi Arabia Thursday, June 14 (11 a.m. ET, FOX).
Veteran play-by-play announcer Derek Rae, who has called every World Cup and European Championship for a U.S. network since 2008, is joined by two-time Olympic gold medalist Aly Wagner, who is set to make her debut as the first female analyst to call a men’s World Cup game in the United States during Morocco-Iran Friday, June 15 (11 a.m. ET, FOX). Glenn Davis will call his fifth World Cup alongside the all-time U.S. MNT caps leader Cobi Jones, while Jorge Perez Navarro will work his first World Cup in English and fifth overall alongside Mexican international Mariano Trujillo. Rounding out the commentary team are FC Dallas play-by-play announcer Mark Followill and former English international Warren Barton, kicking off their campaign with Egypt-Uruguay Thursday, June 15 (8 a.m. ET, FS1).
Rob Stone will make his debut as lead studio host on FIFA World Cup Today with a rotation of studio analysts including World Cup champion and record-holder for most appearances in a World Cup Lothar Matthäus, a former MetroStar, legendary coach Guus Hiddink, U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer and Sports Emmy nominee Alexi Lalas, England women’s national team all-time leading goal scorer Kelly Smith, Arsenal and Crystal Palace legend Ian Wright and Mexican goalkeeper Moises Muñoz.
Argentine icon Hernan Crespo also has been added to the FOX Sports studio analyst team. Crespo’s professional and international career spans nearly two decades, during which he amassed more than 300 goals, including 35 in 65 appearances in more than 12 years for Argentina. That ranks him third on Argentina’s all-time goals list, trailing Lionel Messi and Gabriel Batistuta.
Accomplished multilingual journalist Kate Abdo will anchor FIFA World Cup Live, while two-time Emmy award-winning broadcaster Fernando Fiore hosts FIFA World Cup Tonight. All studio coverage originates from a standalone set in Moscow’s iconic Red Square.
FOX Sports’ list of reporters includes Sky Sports’ lead reporter Geoff Shreeves, Russian journalist Maria Komandnaya, National Geographic’s Sergey Gordeev, FOX Deportes’ Rodolfo Landeros and Jenny Taft who has served as lead reporter for U.S. men’s and women’s national teams.
Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl will serve as reporter-at-large, and Dr. Joe Machnik will weigh in as rules analyst.
Play-by-Play / Analyst
John Strong & Stu Holden
JP Dellacamera & Tony Meola
Derek Rae & Aly Wagner
Glenn Davis & Cobi Jones
Jorge Perez Navarro & Mariano Trujillo
Mark Followill & Warren Barton
Studio Analysts
Hernan Crespo
Guus Hiddink
Alexi Lalas
Lothar Matthäus
Moises Muñoz
Kelly Smith
Ian Wright
Studio Hosts
Rob Stone
Kate Abdo
Fernando Fiore
Ian Joy
Reporters
Rachel Bonnetta (Digital)
Sergey Gordeev (National Geographic)
Maria Komandnaya
Rodolfo Landeros
Geoff Shreeves
Jenny Taft
Correspondent-at-Large
Grant Wahl
Rules Analyst
Dr. Joe Machnik
