U.S. soccer fans should prepare for late nights, early mornings and lots of coffee for the next four weeks, as the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is set to begin on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
Fox Sports executive producer David Neal told SI that the biggest challenge for his network during this World Cup will be the time difference, given the tournament is hosting 64 games across 10 stadiums in nine cities in the two countries. Australia spans four time zones—the World Cup final will take place in Sydney, which is 14 hours ahead of Eastern time—and New Zealand has one time zone, which is 16 hours ahead of Eastern time. And the network will get a taste of the Down Under time difference challenges right off the bat: The tournament will kick off on July 20 at 3 a.m. ET on Fox when New Zealand faces Norway, followed by Australia vs. Ireland at 6 a.m. ET.
Neal also said that airing games on Fox’s broadcast channel is vital in terms of generating a big audience. So in a day and age where streaming becomes more prevalent, Fox will air a huge bulk of games on free TV—29 on Fox (including five during primetime), marking the most Women’s World Cup games on a U.S. English–language broadcast network, plus 35 games on FS1.
The two-time defending champion U.S. women’s national team will play its first game against Vietnam on Friday, July 21, at 9 p.m. ET. The game will air on Fox and the lead broadcast crew of JP Dellacamera and Aly Wagner, working their second consecutive Women’s World Cup, will have the call. In fact, Dellacamera and Wagner will call every U.S. match in the tournament and Fox will air a two-hour pregame show for each of the USWNT’s three group stage matches.
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Fox Sports’ studio coverage will include analysts host Rob Stone, analysts Carli Lloyd, Alexi Lalas, Karina LeBlanc, Heather O’Reilly, Kate Gill, Ariane Hingst and Stu Holden, feature correspondent Tom Rinaldi and wagering expert Chris “The Bear” Fallica. The broadcast will be filmed from an outdoor studio located along the Campbells Cove waterfront promenade in Sydney, Australia, which features a backdrop of the iconic Sydney Opera House.
A two-time FIFA Player of the Year Award winner and former USWNT star, Lloyd is expected to be a powerful voice and one of the lead analysts on Fox’s broadcast.
“I want to be fair, I want to be honest, but I also know the game of soccer isn't perfect. If you misplay a pass, that's not something I'm going to yell about on TV,” Lloyd said of her new, off-the-field role.
On whether or not the USWNT will take home a third-straight World Cup trophy, Lloyd said this: “They have the talent, They have the depth, they definitely have the ability to do it. But it's just so hard to predict going into the tournament—you never know what to expect. And even when things unfold, it's really hard. And I think this is going to be the hardest World Cup to win.”
Fox’s other broadcast pairings for the World Cup will be as follows: Jacqui Oatley and Lori Lindsey; John Strong and Kyndra de St. Aubin; Jenn Hildreth and Warren Barto; and Kate Scott and Danielle Slaton. Former referees Dr. Joe Machnik and Mark Clattenburg will be the rules analysts for the tournament.
This Women’s World Cup will also mark the end of Neal’s Fox Sports tenure. The longtime exec announced that he will step down from his position after the conclusion of the tournament, after overseeing the production of five World Cups for the network.
