Benni McCarthy joins BBC Sport pundit team for expanded 2026 World Cup coverage

South African football legend Benni McCarthy has been confirmed as part of BBC Sport’s broadcast team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, joining an extensive lineup of former players and coaches set to feature across the network’s coverage next summer.

McCarthy, who is currently the head coach of Kenya, will work alongside former Chelsea and France striker Olivier Giroud and ex-Chelsea and Spain defender César Azpilicueta in a star-studded punditry group assembled for the tournament.

BBC Sport will deploy an expanded on-air team based in Salford, supported by reporters stationed across the United States, Canada and Mexico, as it prepares to deliver coverage of the first 48-team World Cup.

Presenters Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott will front television broadcasts, with analysis from a wide range of pundits including Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Micah Richards, Ellen White, Steph Houghton, Rachel Corsie, Giroud, Joe Hart, Azpilicueta, McCarthy, Lucas Leiva and Thomas Frank.

BBC Sport’s director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski said the broadcaster was aiming to elevate its coverage of the expanded tournament, promising continuous content across television, digital and audio platforms.

“The BBC is turning the biggest World Cup in history into the most iconic one yet,” he said. “We’re bringing fans closer to every match, every moment and every story than ever before.”

He added that audiences could expect round-the-clock coverage across multiple channels, including YouTube, iPlayer, BBC Sport’s website, podcasts and social media.

BBC Scotland will also provide dedicated coverage as Scotland prepare for their first men’s World Cup appearance since 1998, a milestone the broadcaster described as a major moment of national pride.

The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11, with the final scheduled for July 19.