Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez Appointed to Fox Sports' 2026 World Cup Broadcast Team

Los Angeles—With only two months remaining until the 2026 World Cup kicks off across North America, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez has finalized a move that will keep him at the heart of the tournament—this time from the commentary booth. Fox Sports confirmed today that Mexico’s all-time leading scorer will join its coverage team alongside Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, completing a high-profile trio of former strikers turned analysts.

Hernandez, 38, amassed 52 goals in 109 senior appearances for El Tri, surpassing Jared Borgetti’s long-standing record of 46 set in 2017. Having experienced World Cup drama firsthand in South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018, the former LA Galaxy, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen forward will now channel those memories into studio analysis.

“Before I was doing things with my feet. Now it’s going to be with my voice,” Hernandez told Fox Sports. “I’m a rookie, man. I cannot promise anything. It’s going to be my first time. I don’t know how it’s going to be. I can be very, very positive. I can be very critical, as well.”

Fox Sports’ president and executive producer praised the appointment, citing both Hernandez’s iconic status within Mexican football and his familiarity to American audiences from his four-season spell in MLS. “Chicharito is synonymous with El Tri, and with Mexico playing a major role in the tournament, we wanted to make sure we found voices who bring instant international credibility to our coverage,” he said. “We’re thrilled to have him going from striker to studio analyst in his television commentator debut.”

Hernandez left boyhood club Chivas de Guadalajara in January and has spent recent months preparing for life off the pitch. His broadcasting debut will coincide with the first World Cup to be staged across three host nations—the United States, Canada and Mexico—placing Hernandez in a unique position to interpret the nuances of a tournament expected to showcase CONCACAF culture on an unprecedented scale.