Katy Perry performed during Friday's opening ceremony in Los Angeles, but the event felt flat and commercially driven, reflecting Fox's influence on the tournament.
Fox's Dominance
Fox Sports is not just the host broadcaster; it is the tournament's soul, focusing on American TV needs. The ceremony featured three songs over an hour, padded with lengthy pre-game segments.
Rebecca Lowe, known for NBC's Premier League coverage, struggled to keep Fox from its worst instincts. The coverage felt scattered and rushed, like a series of TikTok zaps.
Awkward Segments
Patrick Mahomes appeared with an American football, rehashing the tedious soccer vs. football debate. A segment on the 1994 World Cup noted gas at a dollar a gallon and one type of milk, targeting oat milk wokes.
Fox promoted James Corden's late show relentlessly, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic forced to call him funny. Alexi Lalas, however, called Corden a "full-kit wanker."
Commercial Overload
Ads bled into the match, with hydration breaks featuring commercials. The ceremony's only highlight was the performance of "Goals" by Lisa, Anitta, and Rema, centering aspirational consumerism.
Lalas exclaimed about his vibrating nether regions, disgusted Henry. The World Cup is about delivering, and Lalas will deliver updates on his junk.
Flags, children, and hand-holding appeared only at the end when Perry sang "Wonder." The sound was muffled, but Lowe called it a moment.
