Digital content creators Austin Franklin and Kevin Akoto, both Americans, have been hired as Chief World Cup Watchers to watch every one of the 104 matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Their viewing runs from June 11 through July 19, covering the entire tournament played across 16 cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico [1, 2, 3].
Each Watcher is paid US$50,000 (S$64,400) for their role, which Fox Sports and its streaming service Fox One created in partnership with job site Indeed. The aim is to boost digital engagement around the tournament [1, 2, 3].
The application window for the role opened May 5 and closed May 17. Initially, only one person would be chosen, but due to overwhelming nationwide response, Fox selected two winners. Franklin and Akoto were announced on June 8 [1, 2, 3].
Since June 11, they have been watching all matches live from a custom-built viewing cube set up in New York City's Times Square. Their duties include creating interactive content for Fox’s social media, sharing game reactions, and engaging fans throughout the 39-day tournament [1, 2, 3].
The tournament features a record 48 teams competing across 16 host cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Franklin and Akoto began their watch on June 11 with the opening match, where Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 [1, 2, 3].
Fox’s direct-to-consumer chief marketing officer Brian Borkowski said, "Following an overwhelming response from fans nationwide, we ended up selecting two winners instead of one." Franklin called the role a dream, saying, "It still feels pretty surreal. Being able to watch every World Cup match and share those moments with fans everywhere from Times Square is a dream." Akoto added, "To call this a dream job almost feels like an understatement. Getting a front-row seat to all the matches from what might be the ultimate World Cup watch party is unbelievable." [1]
Franklin and Akoto are expected to continue sharing content and fan engagement until the tournament ends on July 19.