Who has won the most World Cup titles?

Brazil have won the World Cup five times, more than any other country. They first lifted the trophy in 1958, before successfully defending their title four years later. They then made it three in 1970, while also emerging victorious in 1994 and 2002 to show what they're made of.

How many teams are in the World Cup?

The most recent edition of the World Cup, which took place in Qatar in 2022, featured 32 teams. However, from the upcoming edition in 2026, as many as 48 teams will be contesting for the ultimate prize in international football. The number of teams that will be featuring has almost quadrupled since the inaugural edition in 1930, which hosted 13 teams.

Who has made the most World Cup appearances ever?

Lionel Messi holds the record of making the most appearances in World Cups, having represented Argentina 26 times across five editions.

Who is the all-time top scorer of the World Cup?

Germany's Miroslav Klose tops the all-time goalscoring charts in World Cups, having scored an incredible 16 goals in 24 games across four consecutive editions from 2002 to 2014.

Who is the oldest player ever in the World Cup and how old was he?

Egyptian legend Essam El Hadary is the oldest player to have ever featured in a World Cup game. The goalkeeper was 45 years and 161 days old when he participated in Egypt's 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia at the 2018 World Cup.

Who is the youngest player ever in the World Cup and how old was he?

Former Manchester United man Norman Whiteside is the youngest player ever to play a World Cup game. The midfielder was just 17 years and 41 days old when he featured for Northern Ireland in a game against Yugoslavia at the 1982 World Cup.

Which famous players have played in the World Cup?

Pele, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Gerd Muller, Roberto Baggio, Ronaldo, Romario, Eusebio, Johan Cruyff, David Villa, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo among others are some of the biggest legends in footballing history who have graced the pitch during World Cups.

Which famous managers have managed in the World Cup?

The likes of Didier Deschamps, Franz Beckenbauer, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Vicente del Bosque, Vittorio Pozzo, Louis van Gaal, Sven-Goran Eriksson, and Ivica Osim are some of the most accomplished individuals to have managed at the World Cup finals.

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Nihal Abo Zaid

Jun 05, 2026 04:47-04:00

Behind the Microphone: Explaining the Full Fox Sports and Telemundo Broadcast Roster for the 2026 World Cup

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 FIFA World Cup list of US commentators, including the official play-by-play pairings, lead booth analysts, and legendary voices calling every match live from the stadium.

The historic expansion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States means domestic media networks are deploying their largest production infrastructures on record. For the English-language coverage on Fox and FS1, the network is sending nine separate play-by-play and color analyst pairings on-location to call games directly from stadium booths. On the Spanish-language side, Telemundo and Peacock are using a fixed core of legendary callers, paired with a massive rotational pool of recent international players and managers.

If you are tracking who is calling your favorite national team's group-stage games, this complete directory breaks down the official pairings, their on-air roles, and their marquee opening-week assignments.

Missing out on the voices that define the summer is not an option. GOAL has your complete television guide to the official commentator pairings, lead booth analysts, and legendary studio pundits delivering every historic moment straight to your screen.

More FIFA World Cup 2026 news:

Fox Sports: The 9 Official English Commentary Pairings

Fox Sports is broadcasting all 104 matches live across FOX and FS1. Rather than calling matches from a central studio off monitor feeds, these nine dedicated announcer teams are traveling to every single host city. John Strong and Stu Holden return as the network's lead voice, drawing the assignment for the opening United States match against Paraguay as well as the tournament final.

Play-by-Play Announcer	Color Match Analyst	Broadcast Profile and Focus
John Strong	Stu Holden	Marquee lead pairing; designated for all USMNT fixtures and the World Cup Final.
Ian Darke	Landon Donovan	Major broadcast reunion combining veteran British play-by-play with a USMNT icon.
Derek Rae	Robert Green	International soccer specialist paired with the former England national team goalkeeper.
Darren Fletcher	Owen Hargreaves	Experienced Premier League voice matched with the former Champions League-winning midfielder.
Jacqui Oatley	Warren Barton	Established tournament commentary duo returning to the network booth after working together in Qatar.
JP Dellacamera	Lori Lindsey	Hall of Fame American soccer broadcaster paired with the tactical former USWNT midfielder.
Mark Scott	Cobi Jones	Acclaimed British caller working alongside the all-time caps leader in USMNT history.
Tyler Terens	Maurice Edu	Rising domestic play-by-play voice paired with the veteran World Cup midfielder.
Ian Crocker	Danny Higginbotham	Veteran UK commentator making his network debut alongside the tactical former Premier League defender.

Telemundo: Core Spanish Play-by-Play and Lead Match Analysts

Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock are broadcasting the entire tournament en Español. Their approach splits the duties between a core group of iconic play-by-play callers and specialized, tactical co-commentators who handle the live technical breakdowns. Andrés Cantor headlines the lead team for the United States match packages, while Luis Omar Tapia commands the network's marquee European and South American clashes.

Lead Play-by-Play Voice	Technical Match Analyst	Marquee Opening Week Assignment
Andrés Cantor	Omar Zerón	USA vs. Paraguay (Group Stage Opening Match)
Luis Omar Tapia	Diego Balado	Portugal vs. DR Congo / USA vs. Turkey
José Luis López Salido	Jorge Calvo	Mexico vs. South Africa (Tournament Opening Match)
Alejandro Figueredo	Jaime Macías	Korea Republic vs. Czechia
Copán Álvarez	José "Pepe" del Bosque	Belgium vs. Egypt
José Hernández	Darío Daicz	Qatar vs. Switzerland

For an entirely immersive Spanish-language viewing experience, you can stream all 104 matches live viaPeacock Premium. Peacock's interactive World Cup Hub offers multi-view options, real-time tactical camera angles, and instant key play catch-ups.

Watch Spanish language FIFA World Cup coverageClick here

Studio Presenters, Hosts, and International Legends

The pre-game, halftime, and post-match studio coverage will operate from specialized hub sets. For Fox Sports, the daily desks are anchored by Premier League presenting star Rebecca Lowe and Rob Stone. Telemundo's studio coverage features anchors Miguel Gurwitz and Carlota Vizmanos, surrounded by a heavy rotational cast of former international team captains, World Cup winners, and legendary managers.

Fox Sports Studio Crew

Hosts: Rob Stone, Rebecca Lowe, Jules Breach, Pien Meulensteen
U.S. Studio Legends: Alexi Lalas, Carli Lloyd, Clint Dempsey
International Guest Pundits: Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Clarence Seedorf, Javier "Chicharito" Hernández, Peter Schmeichel, Thiago Alcântara, John Obi Mikel, Juan Pablo Ángel
Rules Analysts: Dr. Joe Machnik, Mark Clattenburg

Telemundo & Peacock Studio Crew

Studio Anchors: Miguel Gurwitz, Carlota Vizmanos, Lindsay Casinelli, Adriana Monsalve
International Tactical Experts: José Pékerman, Jorge Valdano, Gabriel Batistuta, Dunga, Roque Santa Cruz
CONCACAF Program Icons: Andrés Guardado, Carlos Salcido, Alejandro Bedoya, Jozy Altidore, Iván Zamorano, Guti, Diego Lugano, Iván Ramiro Córdoba, Antonio Valencia, Nuno Gomes, Maxi Rodríguez, Carlos Pavón, Julio César Dely Valdés

Cord-cutters looking for full coverage can utilize Fubo. A base Fubo subscription carries local FOX, FS1, FS2, and Telemundo feeds out of the box, and its signature multi-view layout is perfect for keeping an eye on simultaneous final-round group matches on a single screen.

Stream 2026 World Cup matchesStart free trial

How to secure your seat for FIFA World Cup 2026?

With the bulk of the historic 104 matches taking place in world-class venues right across the United States, securing a ticket to experience the atmosphere live is a top priority for American fans. If you want to hear these iconic commentators echoing through stadium loudspeakers rather than your living room TV, you need to finalize your matchday plans immediately.

Official Marketplace: If you missed the initial ticket lottery window, head straight over to the official FIFA Ticket Resale Marketplace to check for secure, verified ticket exchanges directly from fellow fans at face value.
Secondary Market Options: Looking for hard-to-find premium club seating, prime hospitality access, or late-stage knockout fixtures in US stadiums? You can explore real-time inventory and compare precise seat locations on trusted secondary ticket platforms, such as StubHub, to secure instant-confirmation listings.

Book 2026 US World Cup TicketsBook Now

Stream the World Cup Safely from Anywhere

Whether you are traveling between North American host cities during match week, dealing with a local regional broadcasting blackout, or connecting to unsecured public Wi-Fi networks near the stadiums, keeping your connection secure is vital. You can easily safeguard your personal data and maintain consistent access to your streaming subscriptions using industry-leading virtual private networks like ExpressVPN.

Watch securely from anywhereSign up now

How to get the Official USMNT National Team Kits?

Wear your team's true colors while following the live broadcasts as the United States Men's National Team takes the pitch on home soil.

The USMNT Home Jersey: The traditional Stripes Kit features distinct horizontal red and white stripes across the front. Secure yours now at theOfficial US Soccer Store.
The USMNT Away Jersey: The Stars Kit offers a clean, lifestyle-first look built on a double obsidian base with subtle silver stars. Grab the full fan kit via ourFanatics USMNT Gear Link.

Shop USA kits at NikeBuy now

Shop USA kits at Fanatics in the USBuy now

Frequently asked questions

: Brazil have won the World Cup five times, more than any other country. They first lifted the trophy in 1958, before successfully defending their title four years later. They then made it three in 1970, while also emerging victorious in 1994 and 2002 to show what they're made of.
: The most recent edition of the World Cup, which took place in Qatar in 2022, featured 32 teams. However, from the upcoming edition in 2026, as many as 48 teams will be contesting for the ultimate prize in international football. The number of teams that will be featuring has almost quadrupled since the inaugural edition in 1930, which hosted 13 teams.
: Lionel Messi holds the record of making the most appearances in World Cups, having represented Argentina 26 times across five editions.
: Germany's Miroslav Klose tops the all-time goalscoring charts in World Cups, having scored an incredible 16 goals in 24 games across four consecutive editions from 2002 to 2014.
: Egyptian legend Essam El Hadary is the oldest player to have ever featured in a World Cup game. The goalkeeper was 45 years and 161 days old when he participated in Egypt's 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia at the 2018 World Cup.
: Former Manchester United man Norman Whiteside is the youngest player ever to play a World Cup game. The midfielder was just 17 years and 41 days old when he featured for Northern Ireland in a game against Yugoslavia at the 1982 World Cup.
: Pele, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Gerd Muller, Roberto Baggio, Ronaldo, Romario, Eusebio, Johan Cruyff, David Villa, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo among others are some of the biggest legends in footballing history who have graced the pitch during World Cups.
: The likes of Didier Deschamps, Franz Beckenbauer, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Vicente del Bosque, Vittorio Pozzo, Louis van Gaal, Sven-Goran Eriksson, and Ivica Osim are some of the most accomplished individuals to have managed at the World Cup finals.