Benni McCarthy to work alongside Wayne Rooney in 2026 World Cup punditry
Kenya national team head coach, Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has secured a major international broadcasting assignment after being selected as one of the analysts for 2026 FIFA World Cup coverage.
The former West Ham United and Blackburn Rovers forward will feature in the broadcaster’s expert panel during the tournament, which will include analysis of all 104 matches in the expanded global competition.
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McCarthy, who represented South Africa at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, is expected to work with a high-profile team of football personalities throughout the competition.
Having previously appeared on several BBC football shows and podcasts, McCarthy is already familiar to the network’s audience.
Big names join McCarthy
The tournament broadcasts will be fronted by presenters Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan, and Alex Scott. McCarthy will share punditry duties with former stars and coaches, including Wayne Rooney, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, Olivier Giroud, Joe Hart, César Azpilicueta, Lucas Leiva, and former Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank.
Beyond television coverage, BBC Sport also plans to increase its digital football content through YouTube and TikTok, offering live match build-ups and partial live streams for selected fixtures.
BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski said, “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.”
He further added, “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.”
McCarthy is expected to join the BBC team after guiding Harambee Stars in international friendly matches against Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan in June 2026, as Kenya continues preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Meanwhile, McCarthy’s Harambee Stars and other Africa’s football powerhouses and rising sides will learn their path to the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers as preparations intensify for one of the continent’s most anticipated tournaments.
The draw, scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Cairo, will reveal how the 48 participating nations will battle for places at the finals of the continental showpiece, which is already attracting widespread attention before the competition officially kicks off.
