Fox Sports Prepares Historic Broadcast for the 2026 World Cup

Fox Sports is negotiating with FIFA to incorporate commercial inventory into the three-minute hydration breaks that will occur midway through each half of all 104 matches. The network is also seeking permission for 30-second halftime interviews on request and a 10-minute pre-match “center-circle” window that would allow a reporter to film players warming up from the field.

New York Times

The 2026 tournament is the final men’s World Cup covered under Fox’s current FIFA rights agreement; the 2027 women’s World Cup will be streamed by Netflix. Fox’s partnership with Host Broadcast Services (HBS) dates to 2015 and has previously yielded behind-the-scenes footage, such as dressing-room shots introduced at the 2022 Qatar tournament.

New York Times

• Zac Kenworthy – Vice President of Production, Fox Sports, leading the broadcast negotiations.

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• FIFA – Governing body authorizing hydration breaks and potential commercial use.

New York Times

• Host Broadcast Services (HBS) – Official host broadcaster controlling camera placement.

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• Fox analyst roster – Includes Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Javier “Hernandez” Chicharito, Clarence Seedorf, Peter Schmeichel, Thiago Alcantara, Alexi Lalas, Carli Lloyd, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Rebecca Lowe, and Rob Stone.

New York Times

• Total matches: 104 (70 on network television, 34 on FS1).

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• Hydration break length: 3 minutes per half.

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• Pre-match field access: 10 minutes in the center circle.

New York Times

• Halftime interview window: 30 seconds, subject to national federation approval.

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• Talent recruitment began 2½ years before the tournament and targeted “larger-than-life” former players.

New York Times

Fox’s Kenworthy indicated that discussions with FIFA about commercial use of the hydration breaks are “still happening behind the scenes” and that “very real-time conversations” are ongoing. He emphasized the need to balance soccer’s traditional avoidance of in-game advertising with the opportunity to “maximize available commercial inventory.” Kenworthy also noted that any halftime interview would be “very tight” because it coincides with the commercial window. FIFA has described the hydration breaks as motivated by player welfare, while acknowledging they will be present even in climate-controlled venues.

New York Times

Observers have suggested that the universal implementation of hydration breaks, regardless of temperature, points to commercial motivations. Purists may find the insertion of advertisements during breaks “jarring,” reflecting tension between longstanding soccer norms and new revenue opportunities.

New York Times

FIFA has not released definitive guidelines on how commercials will be integrated into the breaks, and Fox has not confirmed whether it will ultimately use the halftime interview option. The exact format of the “squeeze-back” ads described by AD Week remains unspecified.

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• “There are very real-time conversations as well that we’re having with FIFA.” — Zac Kenworthy, Vice President of Production, Fox Sports

New York Times

• “Obviously it’s new, so it’s always going to be to the purist a bit jarring if that indeed does happen,” — Zac Kenworthy, Vice President of Production, Fox Sports

New York Times

• “You can actually have a reporter on the field doing a pre-match report with the team warming up behind you as opposed to on the sidelines,” — Zac Kenworthy, Vice President of Production, Fox Sports

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• “Whether we do that or not yet, [it is] still part of the conversation,” — Zac Kenworthy, Vice President of Production, Fox Sports

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Fox expects to finalize details on commercial placement during hydration breaks and any halftime interview arrangements in the weeks before the tournament’s June 11 kickoff. The network will also roll out its “very bold, very Fox” graphics package during the event and will monitor the outcome as it prepares for the upcoming rights negotiations for the 2030 World Cup.

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