FOX hires Chad Johnson for World Cup Tonight wrap-up show

FOX Sports have hired Chad Johnson, the former NFL wide receiver, as an analyst to appear on the broadcaster’s nightly World Cup Tonight wrap-up show this November and December. The show is more or less a talk show airing nightly throughout the tournament.

The goal of the show is to get the perspectives of soccer stars, personas and pundits on the World Cup. Notably, this will not solely be analysts debating tactics. Instead, expect more of a fun twist on coverage of the World Cup.

That is clearly evident in a talented and entertaining trio of names that are on FOX’s World Cup Tonight.

World Cup Tonight crew

The three permanent names set to appear on the program are Kate Abdo, Maurice Edu and Chad Johnson. Fans of the Champions League coverage on Paramount+ are familiar with Kate Abdo. At CBS, she hosts the coverage alongside Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards. This is Abdo’s fourth FIFA World Cup as part of the FOX Sports family. Her previous installments came back in Russia 2018, then at a pair of Women’s World Cups in 2015 and 2019.

Joining Abdo is Maurice Edu, who is a regular for FOX regardless of the competition being covered. The former USMNT player provided studio analysis for FOX during the 2019 Women’s World Cup. In his playing days, Edu represented the United States at the 2010 World Cup, making three appearances in the side’s four games. Now a regular pundit for FOX Sports, he appears on coverage of international soccer as well as Major League Soccer.

The final main name for FOX’s World Cup Tonight is Chad Johnson, a former standout NFL wide receiver who is also a soccer aficionado. While Johnson, formerly known as Chad Ochocinco, is widely remembered for his time on the gridiron, he does have some experience in the world of soccer. Of course, it is not as extensive as someone like Maurice Edu or the other analysts expected to be on FOX’s World Cup team. In 2011, Johnson had a four-day trial with Sporting Kansas City. Plus, he took some extra points and kickoffs with the Cincinnati Bengals during his time in the NFL. After all, he did play competitive soccer growing up, according to FOX.

Special Guests

Throughout the tournament and broadcasts of World Cup Tonight, there will be guests to serve as a third analyst on the program. According to FOX, these surprise guests will not necessarily be famous names in the soccer world. Instead, they could just be notable names that have a passionate interest in the World Cup. Therefore, they provide some fan feel and relatability for those watching at home.

When the 2022 World Cup rolls around, FOX plans to air the program every night at midnight on FOX on each time zone in the United States. However, there are select instances where it is available on other channels at different times. For example, FOX plans to broadcast World Cup Tonight on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET on the holidays during the tournament. That includes Thanksgiving on Nov. 24 and Black Friday on Nov. 25. The latter is when the United States plays England in this country’s most anticipated matchup of the group stage. Finally, World Cup Tonight is also available at 7 p.m. ET on FS1 on Sunday, Dec. 18, following the World Cup Final.

For those that remember watching World Cup Tonight from World Cup 2018, the nightly show was a tough watch and a jumbled mess. Originally hosted by Fernando Fiore and starring a motley crew of characters, the 2022 edition can’t be any worse than 2018, so chances are that at least it’ll be watchable this time.

Additional reporting by Christopher Harris

Photo credit: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire