Taking It to the Street: ‘Sesame Street’ Comes to the World Cup

Fans will see and hear from ‘Sesame Street’ characters during World Cup broadcasts

The FIFA World Cup is arguably one of the most famous live sporting events in the world. Well, it’s about to potentially become even more iconic.

FOX Sports announced on Tuesday, May 12, that it will collaborate with “Sesame Street” throughout the World Cup, which runs from June 11 through July 19. Characters from the beloved children’s show will appear on various types of World Cup programming.

“Me been told you can’t use your hands in soccer, so me been practicing eating cookies without me hands to get ready for the World Cup,” Cookie Monster said in a news release.

Here are just a few of the segments that will appear during soccer’s most prestigious tournament.

• “The Count Down”: Count von Count will break down the tournament’s biggest stats.
• “Trash Talk”: A highlight show where Oscar the Grouch features his favorite “grouchy” moments on and off the field.
• “Broadcaster Bootcamp”: Grover teams up with FOX Sports broadcasters to learn how to call a soccer game.

It’s unclear if the “Sesame Street” characters will appear during actual gameplay. But if I’m being honest, I really hope they do.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be working with one of the most adored children’s franchises in the world for FIFA World Cup 2026,” FOX Sports Vice President of Production Zac Kenworthy said. “By collaborating with ‘Sesame Street,’ we’re adding a fun and educational element that brings families together around the FOX Sports viewing experience.”

Popular personalities have worked on other worldwide sports broadcasts

The “Sesame Street” idea isn’t necessarily new. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Snoop Dogg appeared throughout the Games on NBC and Peacock as the USA’s “unofficial mascot.”

And boy, did he deliver.

Disney has also used its characters in the sports realm. In 2023, it unveiled technology during an NHL game that rendered players as characters from “Big City Greens” in real time. The company has since aired similar alternative broadcasts during NBA and NFL games using characters from more popular properties such as Mickey Mouse, “Toy Story,” and “Inside Out.”

These are just two examples of how sports leagues or broadcasters have tried to widen their audiences, and done so with innovation and, ultimately, success.

CableTV.com verdict: This partnership is a huge win for growing the game of soccer

What do we hear constantly from anyone involved with TV, film, sports, business—basically any money-making venture? “We need to reach a younger audience.”

What FOX Sports is doing here is multiple steps in that direction.

Soccer is already one of the most popular sports from a participation standpoint. In the U.S. alone, nearly 880,000 boys and girls played high school soccer during the 2024–2025 season, per data from the National Federation of High Schools. In 2025, 16.8 million people played outdoor soccer, while 6.6 million played indoor, according to a recent report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.

But let’s face it: Watching soccer and playing soccer are two very different experiences. So if you’re a 6-year-old kid who’s just sitting in front of the TV waiting forever for something to happen, you might find it difficult to stay interested.

This is why the incorporation of “Sesame Street” is so ingenious. Familiar characters talking about the beautiful game could sink in on a level previously unreachable for young children. It could give them a lasting, positive impression of the sport. And, it could make it easier for soccer-loving parents to share a passion with their kids.

Collaborations like this might seem gimmicky on the surface. But this is about the long game—earning lifelong fans as early as possible. FOX Sports is doing this right.

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