ITV's coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has come under fire from viewers after American presenter Semra Hunter made an embarrassing on-air blunder, mistaking Sweden manager Graham Potter for former England boss Gareth Southgate.
Opening Match Incident
The error occurred during the post-match analysis of Mexico's 2-0 victory over South Africa in the tournament's opening match. As ITV aired footage of Potter wearing a cowboy hat during a training session, Hunter referred to the Solihull-born coach as 'Gareth Southgate'.
Viewer Backlash
A clip of the mistake quickly went viral on social media platform X. One user wrote: 'Gareth Southgate? ITV is this really the best you can do??' Another commented: 'I thought I misheard this live! Haha... now I know I'm not going mad. Embarrassing!' A third added: 'It's Graham Potter you idiots.'
Some viewers also criticised the American presenters for lacking football knowledge. One person said: 'Ticking boxes and using Americans who haven't got a clue!' Another wrote: 'What could possibly go wrong when you employ football presenters who know nothing about football?' A third commented: 'As soon as ITV switched over to the USA TV station I lasted 15 seconds then turned it off!' While a fourth added: 'Thought that the whole ITV coverage was shockingly poor.'
Defence of Presenters
However, some viewers came to the hosts' defence. One wrote: 'The presenters are obviously not great however I am sure there are people that create the dialogue. They have people behind the scenes responsible for creating these video packages. It is a really bad effort given the status of the tournament.'
ITV has been contacted for comment.
Tournament Context
The 2026 World Cup kicked off on June 11 and runs until July 19. For the first time, it is co-hosted by three nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with matches across 16 host cities. The tournament has expanded from 32 to 48 teams, playing 104 matches over 39 days.
Upcoming Fixtures
Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina will be broadcast live on BBC One tonight at 8pm BST. England's opening match against Croatia is on Wednesday, June 17, airing on ITV1 at 9pm BST.
