Full Breakdown
James Corden Returns to Live Hosting with Fox’s World Cup After-Show
7/11/2026, 12:28:53 PM
Core Event: Launch and Schedule of “After Hours With James Corden”
Fox Sports debuted the nightly after-show “After Hours With James Corden” on the opening day of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, June 11. The program airs at 11 p.m. ET each night through the tournament’s final on July 19, providing commentary, interviews and fan-culture segments from a set styled as a soccer clubhouse.
Production Team and Set Details
The show is produced alongside Fox Sports’ World Cup anchor team, which includes Rebecca Lowe, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Executive producer Ben Winston—who previously collaborated with Corden on the U.K. ITV 2010 World Cup after-show—leads the effort with James Longman, Eric Pankowski and former “Late Late Show” head writer Ian Karmel. The set features soccer memorabilia, a life-size wax figure of Pelé on loan from Madame Tussauds, and regular appearances by former “Late Late Show” alumni.
Corden’s Rationale for Accepting the Gig
Corden described the assignment as “definite in its time,” emphasizing that the five-week run avoids the uncertainty of multi-season contracts. He noted that the opportunity to reunite with familiar production colleagues made the role “glorious.” The timing aligned with his desire for a finite, sport-focused project after ending “The Late Late Show” in April 2023.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I didn’t realize how much I’d missed producing an hour of live television every day,” — Ben Winston, Executive Producer
- “I wasn’t completely convinced and on the hook, if I’m honest.” — James Corden
- “And then the more I thought about it and the more I thought, ‘Man, the great thing about this is it’s so definite in its time. It’s not like you’re going to sit and go, oh, we’re going to get picked up for a second season. How’s it doing? It’s about something very specific that I love. And the more I thought about it, I thought, you’re an idiot to even consider turning this down.” — James Corden
The series marks Corden’s first regular live-television hosting role since leaving CBS, blending his comedy background with a personal passion for football.
