Fox Sports may have made their biggest move yet as the broadcaster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the signing of the enigmatic, charasmatic, legendary Zlatan Ibrahimović as an analyst for the tournament this summer.
For soccer fans, Ibra needs no introduction. The Swedish strikers was one of the most formidable players of the 2000s. He played across Europe for some of the biggest teams in the world including Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester United. He also spent time in America playing for the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer. He also scored 62 goals in 122 appearances for the Swedish national team.
Ibrahimović was well-known for his flair on and off the pitch, scoring some of the most audacious goals that you will ever see. But his brash personality and way with words has made him a cult figure among soccer fans, even sometimes referring to himself in the third person.
In comments made to The Athletic, Fox Sports president Brad Zager says that Zlatan Ibrahimović was the network’s top target as a studio addition for the tournament this summer. He will feature in the studio when coverage starts on June 11 and throughout the tournament.
“He was at the top of the list of people we wanted to take swings at for this World Cup. We put a blank slate on the board, thinking some were longshots and guys who have worked with us in the past and a lot of stuff in between. And Zlatan was one that there was no reason to not take a swing and see if he would be willing to do this,” Zager said.
Ibrahimović joins Thierry Henry of CBS Sports and Rebecca Lowe of NBC Sports as the key names that will hope to take Fox Sports’ oftentimes polarizing soccer coverage to the next level for the historic playing of the 2026 World Cup across North America. The Athletic reports that Fox also pursued David Beckham and Jurgen Klopp for World Cup roles, though neither has signed up yet to this point.
The Zlatan Ibrahimović signing is a major coup for Fox Sports. He has the all the potential to be one of the must-see analysts regardless of sport on major television. That is of course as long as he doesn’t have to play second fiddle to Alexi Lalas.
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