Ian Darke Joins Fox to Call 2022 World Cup Games

The veteran announcer called the 2010 and 2014 World Cups for ESPN and becomes Fox’s third play-by-play announcer for 2022.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ian Darke will call play-by-play for Fox at this year’s World Cup after working the 2010 and 2014 tournaments for ESPN.

Darke becomes the third play-by-play commentator announced by Fox for this year’s tournament, to be played in Qatar from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18, after John Strong and Jacqui Oatley.

Darke broadcast for Britain’s Sky Sports from 1992-2002 and worked for ESPN ahead of the 2010 tournament in South Africa, then was hired by ESPN that September as its lead soccer commentator.

He took over from Martin Tyler as ESPN’s top play-by-play voice for the 2014 tournament in Brazil. Darke works for ESPN on a non-exclusive basis, freeing him to work his eighth World Cup. He is ESPN’s lead commentator for Spain’s La Liga and for this year’s Women’s European Championship. Darke also is BT Sport’s lead Premier League commentator in Britain and is heard on the Premier League world feed.

Always love the World Cup so very happy to join the Fox commentary team led by John Strong in Qatar. Kind of ESPN to allow me out on loan

— Ian Darke (@IanDarke) July 26, 2022

Darke announced the 1994 tournament for ABC and ESPN, the 1982 and 1990 World Cups for BBC Radio and Eurosport, and the 2018 tournament for the world feed. He broadcast the 2011 Women’s World Cup for ESPN.

Strong remains Fox’s lead soccer commentator, a role he has held since 2015. He has been paired since 2017 with former U.S. midfielder Stuart Holden, including in 2018 at Fox’s first World Cup.