Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy confirmed as 2026 FIFA World Cup pundit

Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has secured a major global media role after being unveiled as part of the BBC Sport punditry team for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup set to be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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The former West Ham United and Blackburn Rovers forward joins a star-studded cast assembled by BBC Sport to cover all 104 matches of the expanded global tournament next month.The

BBC will air 54 matches live on television, while fans will also follow the action across BBC's digital platforms, including iPlayer, Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website and app, YouTube and social media channels.

The broadcaster has also launched dedicated football content on its YouTube and TikTok platforms, with selected matches featuring live build-up coverage and the opening 10 minutes streamed live.

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McCarthy, who represented South Africa at the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups during his decorated playing career, now joins an elite panel of football personalities for the month-long spectacle.

BBC’s television coverage will be fronted by Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott, with punditry support from big names including Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Micah Richards, Olivier Giroud, Joe Hart, César Azpilicueta, Lucas Leiva and former Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank, among others.

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

“Sport truly unites people like nothing else, so we can’t wait for fans to enjoy not just the live matches with us but an abundance of football content all day, every day across our platforms.

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Whether it’s our new series on YouTube and iPlayer, the biggest news stories on our website and app, our daily podcasts on Sounds or the viral moments on social media – we’re here for audiences 24/7 this summer, taking them straight to the heart of the World Cup.”

McCarthy is expected to join the BBC team after Harambee Stars’ June international friendlies against Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan as Kenya intensifies preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The former FC Porto striker is no stranger to BBC audiences, having previously featured on several BBC Sport football programmes and podcasts as an analyst and guest pundit.