Soccer on Fox Sports

Not to be confused with Fox Soccer.

Soccer on Fox Sports
Genre	Soccer telecasts
Presented by	Rob Stone
Theme music composer	Peter Calandra
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	3+ hours (or until game ends)
Production company	Fox Sports
Original release
Network	Fox Fox Sports 1 Fox Sports 2 Fox Soccer Plus

Fox currently airs soccer matches in the United States. These matches are from the FIFA World Cup, the FIFA Women's World Cup, the UEFA European Championship, the Gold Cup, and Copa América. With the network currently also airing select MLS, and Liga MX matches. Fox formerly aired the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, the Premier League, the Bundesliga, the Serie A, and the FA Cup.

Current contracts

FIFA

On October 22, 2011, FIFA awarded English-language rights to its tournaments to Fox from 2015 through 2022, including the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2015 (which would mark Fox's first professional FIFA tournament broadcast) and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, replacing ESPN and ABC. In February 2015, the contract was extended to 2026, in what was reported to be compensation for the re-scheduling of the 2022 World Cup to late-November/mid-December (which conflicts with the regular seasons of most major U.S. leagues, including the NFL) due to the climate of the host country.^[1][2] Fox's coverage could end after the 2026 FIFA World Cup as ESPN is interested in the 2030 FIFA World Cup^[3]

UEFA

Fox replaces ESPN as the new home of the UEFA national tournaments. This six-year agreement will including the next two editions of European Championship as well as the UEFA Nations League, UEFA qualifying competitions, and all friendly matches controlled by UEFA.^[4] FuboTV will stream matches via sublicensing from Fox.^[5] At least one match per matchday will air on FOX.

CONCACAF

Fox exclusively airing most of CONCACAF Clubs and Nations Championship until 2022-2025, including Gold Cup,^[6] Champions League, and both Men's and Women's Olympic Qualifying tournament.

CONMEBOL

Fox reached a long-term agreement with CONMEBOL for airing their South American men's and women's soccer tournament, highlighted with Copa América and Copa América Femenina also including World Cup and Olympic qualifiers. This six-year agreement kicked-off in June 2021 with 2021 Copa América.^[7]

Liga MX

See also: Liga_MX § Media_coverage

In May 2018, Fox Sports acquired the rights to Tijuana, Monterrey, and Santos home matches. These matches started airing across Fox Sports in late July 2018, with the exception of Santos matches which will begin in 2019. In July 2022, their coverage was expanded with addition of Juárez home matches. Matches are broadcast on FS1, FS2, Fox Deportes, and the Bally Sports regional networks in the Western U.S.

MLS

Fox aired weekly Major League Soccer (MLS) matches on Sunday afternoons and evenings. Rob Stone hosted in the studio alongside studio analysts Alexi Lalas and Maurice Edu. John Strong and Stuart Holden called the weekly matches from site. (See Major League Soccer on television.) Most of the coverage moved to Apple TV+ after 2022. Fox will still continue to air games as sole linear partner through the 2026 season.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Coupe de France

Fox acquired the rights to the Coupe de France in 2023 from beIN Sports.^[12]

Canadian Premier League

In August 2020, Fox Sports became the first American broadcast partner of the Canadian Premier League.^[13]

Former rights

Bundesliga

Fox aired the Bundesliga since 2015 and aired all 306 league games and relegation playoffs via FS1, FS2, and Fox Soccer Plus. The pre-game and halftime show is hosted by Ian Joy or Kate Abdo, and two pundits (rotation).^[14] The lead commentator was Keith Costigan. The 2019–20 season was the networks' last broadcasting the Bundesliga as ESPN picked up the rights.

DFL-Supercup

Fox has aired the German DFL-Supercup since 2015 and only airs select tournament matches.^[15]

Premier League

See also: Premier League on United States television

Fox Soccer aired the English Premier League from 2000 to 2013. In the later years of their coverage, Fox had a studio pregame show first hosted by Christian Miles until 2011, then by Rob Stone. Studio analysts were Warren Barton, Eric Wynalda, and Keith Costigan. Commentary was provided by former corporate sibling Sky Sports.

FA Cup

Main article: List of FA Cup broadcasters

Fox previously aired the English FA Cup since 2014, until their rights expired in 2018. ESPN has since acquired these rights. FA Cup coverage was hosted by Rob Stone or Kate Abdo alongside a rotation of analysts including Warren Barton, Alexi Lalas, and Mario Melchiot. Lead world feed broadcast team for FA Cup was Martin Tyler and Stewart Robson.

UEFA Champions League and Europa League

See also: List of UEFA Champions League broadcasters, List of UEFA Europa League broadcasters, and UEFA Champions League on United States television

Fox formerly aired the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League from 2009–18.^[16] Rob Stone hosted UEFA Champions League coverage alongside a rotation of analysts including Warren Barton, Brad Friedel, Eric Wynalda, Stuart Holden, and Alexi Lalas. Lead broadcast team for non World-Feed broadcasts of UEFA Champions League from 2013–14 was Gus Johnson and Eric Wynalda, then the World-Feed broadcasts, and finally John Strong and Stuart Holden or Brad Friedel replaced them as lead commentator from 2016–18. Ian Joy or Kate Abdo hosted UEFA Europa League coverage alongside analysts Stuart Holden, Warren Barton, and Mario Melchiot. Lead broadcast team for Europa League coverage was Keith Costigan and Alexi Lalas. For World-Feed broadcasts, Tony Jones and David Pleat call both UEFA Champions League Final and UEFA Europa League Final.

USMNT/USWNT

Through their MLS deal, Fox shared the right to USMNT and USWNT matches with ESPN/ABC. John Strong and Stuart Holden were the main USMNT commentators with studio coverage hosted by Rob Stone alongside analysts Alexi Lalas and Maurice Edu. USWNT commentators were JP Dellacamera with analyst Aly Wagner and studio coverage was hosted by Rob Stone, Sara Walsh, or Jenny Taft with analysts Leslie Osborne, Heather O'Reilly, Christie Pearce Rampone, and Alexi Lalas. This coverage has ended after 2022 when these rights moved to TNT Sports.^[17][18]

On-air staff

Regular season

Presenters

Name	Nationality	Coverage
Rob Stone		Lead MLS and international matches studio host
Sara Walsh		International matches studio host
Jenny Taft		International matches studio host

Studio analysts

Name	Nationality	Coverage
Alexi Lalas		Lead MLS and international matches studio analyst
Warren Barton		International matches color commentator/studio analyst
Maurice Edu		International matches studio analyst
Rodney Wallace		International matches studio analyst
Steve Cherundolo		International matches guest studio analyst
Kelly Smith		International matches studio analyst
Heather O'Reilly		Women's international matches studio analyst
Leslie Osborne		Women's international matches studio analyst
Christie Pearce		Women's international matches studio analyst
Melissa Ortiz		Women's international matches studio analyst
Joe Machnik		International matches rules analyst
Mark Clattenburg		International matches rules analyst

Play-by-play announcers

Name	Nationality	Coverage
John Strong		Lead MLS and international play-by-play announcer
JP Dellacamera		Lead women's international matches and #2 MLS play-by-play announcer
Keith Costigan		Liga MX play-by-play announcer, fill-in international play-by-play announcer
Adrian Garcia-Marquez		Liga MX and international matches play-by-play announcer
Ian Darke		FIFA World Cup International matches play-by-play announcer
Jacqui Oatley		FIFA World Cup International matches play-by-play announcer
Jake Zivin		International fill-in play-by-play announcer
Nate Bukaty		International matches play-by-play announcer
Kate Scott		International matches play-by-play announcer
Jorge Pérez-Navarro		International matches play-by-play announcer

Color commentators

Name	Nationality	Coverage
Stuart Holden		Lead MLS and international color commentator
Cobi Jones		Liga MX, international color commentator
Warren Barton		International color commentator/studio analyst
Mariano Trujillo		Liga MX and International matches color commentator
Aly Wagner		International matches
Kyndra de St. Aubin		Women's international matches
Danielle Slaton		Women's international matches
Angela Hucles		Women's international matches
Cat Whitehill		Women's international matches

Reporters

Name	Nationality	Coverage
Geoff Shreeves		International matches
Rodolfo Landeros		International matches

Past international coverage and broadcast teams

Event(s)	Play-by-play	Color commentator(s)	Reporters	Studio host(s)	Studio analyst(s)
UEFA Euro 2024	Ian Darke Derek Rae Jacqui Oatley Darren Fletcher	Landon Donovan Robert Green Warren Barton Owen Hargreaves	Geoff Shreeves Tom Rinaldi Michael Times	Jules Breach	Giorgio Chiellini, Daniel Sturridge, Peter Schmeichel, Ariane Hingst, Alexi Lalas, Stuart Holden, Maurice Edu
2024 Copa America	John Strong JP Dellacamera Luis Omar Tapia	Stuart Holden Cobi Jones Maurice Edu	Jenny Taft Ana Jurka	Rob Stone	Alexi Lalas, Carli Lloyd, Clint Dempsey, Maurice Edu, Juan Pablo Ángel
2023 Women's World Cup	JP Dellacamera Jacqui Oatley John Strong Kate Scott Jenn Hildreth	Aly Wagner Lori Lindsey Kyndra de St. Aubin Danielle Slaton Warren Barton	Jenny Taft Tom Rinaldi	Rob Stone Jenny Taft Jimmy Conrad (World Cup Now on Twitter)	Alexi Lalas, Carli Lloyd, Karina LeBlanc, Kate Gill, Heather O'Reilly, Ariane Hingst and Stuart Holden Mark Clattenburg and Dr. Joe Machnik (rules analyst) Chris Fallica (Wagering expert) Melissa Ortiz and Leslie Osborne (World Cup Now on Twitter)
2022 World Cup	John Strong JP Dellacamera Derek Rae Ian Darke Jacqui Oatley	Stuart Holden Cobi Jones Aly Wagner Landon Donovan Warren Barton	Geoff Shreeves (on loan from Sky Sports UK) Tom Rinaldi Rodolfo Landeros Jenny Taft Melissa Ortiz (World Cup Now on Twitter)	Rob Stone Jenny Taft Kate Abdo	Alexi Lalas, Carli Lloyd, Clint Dempsey,[19] Landon Donovan, Maurice Edu, Aly Wagner, Stuart Holden, Kelly Smith, and Eniola Aluko Mark Clattenburg and Dr. Joe Machnik (rules analyst) Maurice Edu and Chad Johnson (World Cup Tonight) DaMarcus Beasley, Sacha Kljestan, Melissa Ortiz, Cobi Jones, Warren Barton, Derek Rae and Maurice Edu (World Cup Now on Twitter)
2022 Copa América Femenina	JP Dellacamera John Strong Callum Williams	Aly Wagner Lori Lindsey Kyndra de St. Aubin Cat Whitehill
2021 Copa America	John Strong Jake Zivin Kate Scott Adrian Garcia Marquez	Stuart Holden Mariano Trujillo Warren Barton		Rob Stone	Alexi Lalas, Aly Wagner, Maurice Edu, Cobi Jones and Dr. Jor Machnik (rules analyst)
2019 Women's World Cup	JP Dellacamera Derek Rae Jenn Hildreth Glenn Davis Lisa Byington	Aly Wagner Danielle Slaton Kyndra de St. Aubin Angela Hucles Cat Whitehill	Alex Curry Grant Wahl	Rob Stone and Jenny Taft (Paris) Kate Abdo (Los Angeles) Aaron West (digital)	Alexi Lalas, Eniola Aluko, Ariane Hingst, Kate Gill, Karina LeBlanc, Heather O'Reilly and Kelly Smith (Paris) Leslie Osborne, Christie Pearce Rampone and Maurice Edu (Los Angeles) Christina Unkel (rules analyst)
2018 World Cup	John Strong JP Dellacamera Derek Rae Glenn Davis Jorge Perez-Navarro Mark Followill	Stuart Holden Tony Meola Aly Wagner Cobi Jones Mariano Trujillo Warren Barton	Geoff Shreeves Jenny Taft Rodolfo Landeros Maria Komandnaya Sergey Gordeev Grant Wahl	Rob Stone Kate Abdo Ian Joy Rachel Bonnetta (digital)	Alexi Lalas, Hernan Crespo, Clarence Seedorf, Moisés Muñoz, Fernando Fiore, Martin O'Neill, Guus Hiddink, Kelly Smith, Ian Wright, and Dr. Joe Machnik (rules analyst)
2017 Confederations Cup	John Strong JP Dellacamera Jorge Perez-Navarro	Stuart Holden Cobi Jones Mariano Trujillo	Maria Komandnaya Francisco X. Rivera Sergey Gordeev	Rob Stone Kate Abdo	Alexi Lalas, Eric Wynalda, Guus Hiddink, Lothar Matthäus, Arne Friedrich, Ian Wright, Aly Wagner, Cobi Jones, Mariano Trujillo, Fernando Fiore, and Dr. Joe Machnik (rules analyst)
2016 Copa America	John Strong JP Dellacamera Justin Kutcher Mark Followill	Brad Friedel Stuart Holden Cobi Jones Herculez Gomez	Jenny Taft Kyndra de St. Aubin Francisco X. Rivera Grant Wahl (at-large)	Rob Stone	Alexi Lalas, Landon Donovan, Eric Wynalda, Fernando Fiore, Aly Wagner, Herculez Gomez, and Dr. Joe Machnik (rules analyst)
2015 Women's World Cup	JP Dellacamera Justin Kutcher Jenn Hildreth Glenn Davis John Strong	Tony DiCicco and Cat Whitehill Aly Wagner Kyndra de St. Aubin Christine Latham Angela Hucles Danielle Slaton	Jenny Taft Julie Stewart-Binks Grant Wahl	Rob Stone Kate Abdo	Alexi Lalas, Heather Mitts, Eric Wynalda, Mónica González, Ariane Hingst, Angela Hucles, Christine Latham, Leslie Osborne, Kelly Smith, Stuart Holden, and Dr. Joe Machnik (rules analyst)

References

1. "FIFA grants Fox U.S. TV rights for World Cup through 2026". SI.com. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
2. Longman, Jeré (21 October 2011). "Fox and Telemundo Win U.S. Rights to 2018 and 2022 World Cups". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
3. "ESPN wants FIFA 2030 World Cup rights". World Soccer Talk. 8 July 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
4. "FOX Sports Scores Media Rights to UEFA European Championship in Landmark Deal". Fox Sports Press Pass. November 3, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
5. "fuboTV Acquires Exclusive Rights to Select UEFA National Team Football and UEFA European Championship Matches Through FOX Sports". ir.fubo.tv. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
6. "Fox to televise 2021 and 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cups". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
7. "FOX Sports Becomes the Home of South American National Team Soccer with Long-Term Conmebol Deal". Fox Sports PressPass. 2021-05-04. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
8. "Apple, MLS announce 10-year streaming partnership". FOX Sports. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
9. "Apple, MLS announce 10-year streaming partnership". AP NEWS. 2022-06-14. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
10. Young, Jabari. "As TV Deals Expire, Major League Soccer Fields Smaller Offers From ESPN, Fox Sports". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
11. Poindexter, Owen (2022-07-21). "MLS Eyes Reduced Linear Rights After Huge Streaming Deal". Front Office Sports. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
12. "FOX Sports acquire Coupe de France rights in USA". World Soccer Talk. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
13. "How to watch RB Leipzig vs PSG, Bayern Munich vs Lyon". 18 August 2020.
14. Phillip Quinn (October 14, 2014). "Fox Sports secures Bundesliga's USA television rights beginning 2015-2016". SBNation. Vox Media. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
15. "Bayern Munich-Dortmund German Supercup to be featured on FOX network". World Soccer Talk. July 21, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
16. "Turner's soccer shocker". Sports Business Daily. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
17. Koons, Zach (March 2022). "U.S. Soccer Will Be Broadcast On Two Different Networks Starting in 2023". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
18. Tenorio, Sam Stejskal and Paul. "U.S. Soccer agrees to 8-year English-language media rights deal with Turner Sports and HBO". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
19. "Clint Dempsey joins FOX Sports for World Cup 2022 coverage". 16 May 2022.

External links

• Official website