The 2026 World Cup already feels bigger than football.
Hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, it will be the first men’s World Cup staged in three countries, and the first expanded to 48 teams.
In the UK, it is not only a football tournament, it is a month-long festival where football becomes the only conversation.
On days that England plays, fans go home from work early, sit in pubs all day long, waiting to see their country play.
That sense of excitement is not only coming from fans.
Broadcasters, streaming platforms and online channels are also preparing for a tournament that will stretch far beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch.
The World Cup is no longer just about live games and post-match analysis.
It is also about behind-the-scenes access, social media clips, fan culture, city stories, viral moments and the wider entertainment around the tournament.
ITV is one of the broadcasters already shaping its plans.
As part of its 2026 World Cup coverage, the channel announced a line-up featuring familiar football names such as Juan Mata, Duncan Ferguson, Emma Hayes, Roy Keane, Ian Wright, Gary Neville, Ange Postecoglou, Patrick Vieira, and many more such names.
Introducing your 2026 World Cup team on ITV 🤩🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/CED8iz1M3v
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) May 20, 2026
But among all the expected pundits, one name caused particular surprise: Adam Richman.
Yes, that Adam Richman, the former host of Man v Food.
The American reality TV series aired from 2008 to 2012 on the Travel Channel and became a cult classic in the UK.
Hosted by the charismatic Adam Richman, the show introduced British audiences to over-the-top American food culture unlike the traditional UK dining habits.
Safe to say fans could not understand why the man best known for taking on huge American eating challenges was suddenly being included in a World Cup broadcast team.
Why have they got the bloke from Man Vs Food https://t.co/PjUJ8iqf8B
— noah (@JOGOBONlTO) May 20, 2026
And a reaction like this makes sense.
Richman is best known for travelling across the globe, taking on huge eating challenges, not doing an analysis, breaking down low blocks, set-piece routines or England’s midfield balance.
Put his name next to some of ITV’s established football voices and it naturally looks like a bizarre crossover.
However, fans overlooked an important detail.
Richman is not being brought in as a traditional football pundit or match commentator.
ITV has not hired him to replace Ally McCoist on co-commentary or to sit opposite Roy Keane and argue over tactical systems.
His role is different.
ITV says Richman will co-present with Semra Hunter from its Brooklyn studio, providing what the broadcaster describes as a “third eye” on the tournament.
That means his job will focus on the broader social and cultural aspects surrounding the World Cup, rather than on detailed tactical analysis.
In that context, the decision makes much more sense.
The 2026 tournament will be heavily shaped by its North American setting.
This World Cup will not only be about football magic but also about host cities, fan culture, travel, food, celebrity appearances, and the atmosphere of a tournament spread across a continent.
That is where Richman fits.
His career has been built on American locations, local culture, food and personality-led television.
He knows how to present the flavour of a place, which is exactly the kind of thing ITV may want from its New York-based coverage.
Besides his expertise in food culture, Richman also has genuine football connections.
Happy to be here, hope I can help the ball club. https://t.co/RXfkiuy8as pic.twitter.com/Yp1Tso2it5
— Adam Richman (@AdamRichman) May 20, 2026
Richman is an avid Tottenham Hotspur fan, and has previously shown a clear interest in the English game with investments in Grimsby Town and Broadley FC, so he is not simply a random celebrity being parachuted into the tournament with no knowledge of the sport.
The reaction is understandable because, on the surface, “Man v Food host joins World Cup team” sounds unusual.
But his role is not to explain pressing traps, it is to help ITV capture the colour, culture and atmosphere of a World Cup taking place across North America.
Adam Richman is not there to be a Roy Keane.
He is there because this World Cup, having 3 host nations, is going to be bigger, louder and more culturally driven than ever, and ITV clearly wants its coverage to feel that way.
