The 2026 FIFA World Cup was supposed to be a major showcase for FOX’s soccer coverage in the United States. Instead, the network’s opening-day broadcast drew immediate criticism after viewers missed Shakira’s live opening ceremony performance and later missed resumed match action after a hydration-break commercial.
The backlash grew quickly because fans expected the tournament opener to feel polished, global and celebratory. For many viewers, FOX’s first-day choices made the coverage feel more commercial than the moment demanded.
FOX paid nearly $500 million and still fumbled day one
FOX Sports reportedly paid less than $500 million for English-language U.S. rights to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Sports-business experts have described that price as far below open-market value, with some estimates placing the package at up to three times what FOX paid.
Even with that valuable position, FOX faced criticism on the tournament’s opening day. Fans complained about the missed Shakira performance, full-screen hydration-break ads, and a late return to live action during Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa.
The opening ceremony snub that started it all
When the 2026 World Cup kicked off in Mexico City on June 11, the opening ceremony featured Shakira, Burna Boy, J Balvin, Tyla, and other performers. FIFA had promoted the ceremony as a major cultural moment before Mexico faced South Africa in the tournament opener.
FOX did not show Shakira’s full live performance in its English-language coverage. Spanish-language viewers, however, could watch the ceremony through Telemundo and Peacock, which made FOX’s choice even more noticeable to frustrated fans.
What FOX did show instead?
FOX did air some ceremony content, including Andrea Bocelli’s performance, a flag procession from all 48 nations, and both national anthems of Mexico and South Africa. The network made selective editorial choices about what received live airtime. Those choices did not sit well with viewers eagerly waiting for Shakira herself.
The pundit desk featured Rebecca Lowe, Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Alexi Lalas. While the panel earned some viewer praise, its placement directly over Shakira’s live ceremony left fans of those analysts genuinely confused. FOX clearly set a tone that prioritized studio conversation over delivering any authentic World Cup excitement.
Fun fact: Shakira performed at the World Cup opening ceremonies in 2006, 2010, and 2014. She famously declined the 2022 Qatar invitation, making her 2026 return one of the most anticipated moments of the entire tournament’s opening day.
The hydration break that broke the internet
FIFA introduced mandatory three-minute hydration breaks at the 22-minute mark of each half for every game in the 2026 tournament. The primary goal was player safety amid intense summer heat across North American venues. Broadcasters were permitted to air commercials during those windows within strict and clearly defined timing rules.
FOX went straight to commercial during both hydration breaks in the Mexico versus South Africa opener. While other global broadcasters used those pauses for punditry or highlights, FOX ran full ad blocks. Fans noticed something was clearly wrong when the match restarted on the field before FOX had returned from its commercials.
FOX appeared to break a FIFA broadcast rule
FIFA distributed clear broadcasting regulations to all global rights holders months before the tournament. Networks were required to return to the live feed at least 30 seconds before play resumed and could not cut away within the first 20 seconds of the whistle. FOX reportedly failed both requirements that day.
During the second-half stoppage, FOX was reportedly as much as 40 seconds off the required return window. The ball was already in play when the broadcast came back on screen. Around eight to ten seconds of live match action were missed by American English-language viewers watching the very first game.
FIFA let FOX off the hook
Despite the clear breach of broadcast guidelines, FIFA confirmed it would not punish FOX Sports. The governing body accepted FOX’s explanation that the delay stemmed from confusion over the referee’s whistle timing during Raúl Jiménez’s goal celebration. FIFA reportedly softened its stance partly because it was an isolated first-day incident.
The decision to clear FOX triggered a second round of online outrage. Many felt FIFA was shielding a powerful commercial partner rather than enforcing its own broadcast rules. Critics argued that any smaller or less financially important broadcaster facing the exact same violation would have been treated far more severely.
Telemundo emerged as the unlikely hero
While FOX fielded complaints, Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo was earning genuine public praise from fans. Reporter Alejandro Berry publicly called out FOX on social media, reminding viewers that Telemundo stayed live throughout both hydration breaks without ever cutting to a single commercial.
Fans flooded social media, urging others to switch over to Telemundo immediately. Comments praising Telemundo’s uninterrupted coverage and sharper on-air commentary trended widely across multiple major platforms. It was a remarkable public moment in which the Spanish-language network clearly outshone its English-language counterpart on the biggest stage in American soccer.
The bigger picture
The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams and 104 total matches, making it the biggest in history. FIFA is projected to earn around $6 billion in total revenue, with media rights alone exceeding $3.8 billion. That massive financial reality shapes every decision broadcasters make around coverage.
The FOX situation exposes a core tension running through modern sports media. Broadcasters must balance enormous rights costs against advertiser demands while still genuinely serving fans who want uninterrupted soccer. When those interests openly collide, as they did on June 11, fans end up feeling like the least important stakeholder.
Little-known fact: FOX and Telemundo project a combined advertising revenue of $850 million from the 2026 World Cup.
TL;DR
- FOX paid approximately $485 million for the 2026 World Cup English-language U.S. broadcast rights, well below the estimated market value of $1 billion to $1.5 billion.
- The network skipped Shakira’s live opening ceremony performance on June 11, airing its studio pundit panel at an empty stadium instead.
- Telemundo aired the full ceremony and stayed live on the field throughout both hydration breaks without a single commercial cut.
- FOX has reportedly recalibrated its timing, but its opening-day reputation damage among soccer fans remains very real.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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