League: FIFA World Cup Sport: Soccer Country: Mexico Category: Scores & Results

Fox faces criticism for World Cup opening day coverage

Awful Announcing • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 12, 2026, 1:00 PM

Last updated Jun 12, 2026

Fox faces criticism for World Cup opening day coverage

Summary

Fox Sports began its World Cup coverage on June 11, 2026, with a pregame show that drew criticism for failing to capture the excitement surrounding the event. The telecast started at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, miles away from the opening match venue, Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, leading to complaints about the lack of atmosphere. The pregame featured segments that did not engage viewers fully, and the decision to rotate presenters over showing Shakira's performance was also questioned. Coverage continued to evolve, eventually transitioning on-site to Mexico City, where commentators aimed to improve the viewing experience as the tournament progresses.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•Fox began World Cup coverage on June 11 from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
•Critics noted the coverage felt lacking in energy and atmosphere.
•On-site coverage was later provided from Mexico City during the pregame.
•The decision to avoid airing Shakira's performance faced backlash.
•Viewers are assessing the effectiveness of new commentators and analysts.

Latest Updates

1:06 PMAwful Announcing — Fox earns a yellow card on World Cup opening day - Awful Announcing
1:00 PMYahoo Sports — Fox earns a yellow card on World Cup opening day

What they're saying

"
This originally appeared in Friday’s edition of The A Block, Awful Announcing’s daily newsletter with the latest sports media news, commentary, and analysis. Sign up here and be the first to know everything going on in the sports media world. As the saying often goes, first impressions can mean everything. And yesterday, Fox imparted viewers…
— Yahoo Sports