2026 FIFA World Cup Announcer Rankings Revealed

Read‑ers of Awful Announcing graded nine Fox Sports broadcast teams that called matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. By converting letter grades to a GPA scale—4.0 for an A, 3.0 for a B, and so forth—the votes produce a clear hierarchy of which duos resonated most with fans.

Darren Fletcher & Owen Hargreaves – #1, GPA 3.24

The top‑ranked pairing earned the highest A‑grade tally, with 53 % of voters handing them an A. Their lively commentary, peppered with pop‑culture references and comparisons to American sports, seemed to strike a chord. Only about six percent of respondents gave them a D or F, keeping the overall score near the top.

• 53% A grades
• 30% B grades
• 6% D/F grades
• GPA 3.24

Derek Rae & Robert Green – #2, GPA 3.17

British announcers continued a clear trend among voters, with Rae and Green earning an A or B from 83 % of respondents. The split is roughly even between the top two grades, while just four percent chose a D or F. Their steady pacing and clear delivery helped keep the negative marks low.

• 42% A grades
• 41% B grades
• 4% D/F grades
• GPA 3.17

Ian Darke & Landon Donovan – #3, GPA 3.04

The veteran play‑by‑play voice paired with the USMNT legend earned 40 % A grades and 37 % B grades, placing them third overall. Darke’s history on key matches, including the dramatic 2010 Algeria knockout, adds credibility. However, a sizable 10 % of voters marked them with a D or F, pulling the score below the top two.

• 40% A grades
• 37% B grades
• 10% D/F grades
• GPA 3.04

John Strong & Stu Holden – #6, GPA 2.33

Fox’s lead World Cup pairing landed in sixth place, splitting voter opinions almost evenly between A/B and C/D/F. They earned the second‑most F votes, behind only Dellacamera and Lindsey, perhaps because they called every USMNT game and high‑profile matchups. The exposure led to stronger criticism alongside praise.

• 45% A/B grades
• 45% C/D/F grades
• GPA 2.33

Jacco Oatley & Warren Barton – #5, GPA 2.40

Oatley and Barton received mostly positive marks, with about 80 % of voters assigning a C or above. The biggest chunk chose a B, edging them ahead of Strong and Holden by reducing D/F selections. Their balanced approach helped keep the overall GPA just above the sixth‑place duo.

• 50% B grades
• 30% C grades
• 15% A grades
• 5% D/F grades
• GPA 2.40

Ian Crocker & Danny Higginbotham – #4, GPA 2.86

A noticeable jump separates the top four from the rest, with Crocker and Higginbotham securing about 70 % A/B grades. Very few voters chose D or F—just six percent—helping lift their GPA into the upper tier. Their chemistry and clear narration contributed to the favorable response.

• 70% A/B grades
• 6% D/F grades
• GPA 2.86

Tyler Terens & Maurice Edu – #7, GPA 2.31

Terens and Edu called the second fewest games among the pairings, leading to a concentration of B and C grades—around 67 % total. A modest 14 % gave them an A, while the remainder fell into lower categories. Their limited exposure likely restricted the range of feedback.

• 14% A grades
• 53% B/C grades
• 33% D/F grades
• GPA 2.31

Mark Scott & Cobi Jones – #8, GPA 2.11

Scott and Jones called the fewest matches of any Fox duo, resulting in the smallest overall vote total. The bulk of their feedback fell into B or C categories, accounting for about 70 %. Because viewers rarely heard them, very few A or F grades appeared, keeping the GPA near the bottom.

• 25% B grades
• 45% C grades
• 10% A grades
• 20% D/F grades
• GPA 2.11

JP Dellacamera & Lori Lindsey – #9, GPA 1.99

American soccer broadcasting veteran Dellacamera saw his final World Cup receive the harshest verdict, with about 21 % of respondents awarding an F. While a sizable share gave A or B marks—around 41 % combined—the heavy negative response placed the duo at the bottom of the list. Their mixed performance left readers divided on the quality of their coverage.

• 21% F grades
• 41% A/B grades
• 38% C/D grades
• GPA 1.99

This ranking captures the full spectrum of fan sentiment, highlighting both the stars and the struggling pairs in Fox’s World Cup broadcast lineup.