James Corden to Host Late-Night After-Show for Fox’s World Cup Coverage

James Corden is back in the late-night game. With the emphasis on game.

More than three years after wrapping his eight-season run as host of CBS’ The Late Late Show, the English actor, comedian and soccer (football) superfan has been recruited to host—take a deep breath now—FIFA World Cup on Fox After Hours with James Corden.

Premiering Thursday, June 11, on the tournament’s opening night, the “high-energy and comedic celebration of the ‘world’ of the FIFA World Cup” will air throughout the nine-day tournament at midnight local time on Fox, following each day’s action.

FIFA World Cup legend and former England national team captain Rio Ferdinand will join Corden at the Fox Studio Lot in Los Angeles, as will comedian and Late Late Show alum Ian Karmel.

Watch Corden announce the program in the video clip at top, from Fox’s Monday-afternoon upfront presentation in New York.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome James, Rio and Ian to the Fox Sports family for what promises to be an unforgettable summer,” Fox Sports president Brad Zager said in a statement. “The show is the perfect addition to our programming lineup and we’re looking forward to capping off the day on Fox in a way that only James and his team can deliver for fans.”

Former Late Late Show EP James Longman (now lead producer on SNL UK) will executive produce the program with Zager, Eric Shanks, Ben Winston, Gabe Turner, and Eric Pankowski.

A BAFTA-, Emmy- and Tony Award-winning host, actor, writer, and producer, Corden was introduced to American audiences in 2015 via CBS’s The Late Late Show, succeeding Craig Ferguson as host. There, his late-night calling cards included “Carpool Karaoke,” “Drop the Mic,” and “Crosswalk the Musical.”

Most recently, Corden appeared in the Broadway revival of ART and starred alongside Ian McKellen in the feature film The Christophers.

Comedian Ian Karmel served as head writer and in-studio sidekick for Corden’s The Late Late Show. He’s also written for The Tonight Show, the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, the Grammys, the Tony Awards, Conan O’Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and Netflix’s The Roast of Tom Brady. His stand-up act has been featured on Netflix, Conan, The Late Late Show, and Comedy Central. He currently hosts his own podcast, All Fantasy Everything.

Fox Sports is America’s official English-language home for FIFA World Cup 2026, presenting all 104 tournament matches live across Fox (70) and FS1 (34), with every match streaming in 4K live and on-demand on Fox One. FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off Thursday, June 11, on Fox beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET with a two-hour pregame show leading up to host nation Mexico vs. South Africa from Mexico City.