Fox Sports, National Geographic Join Forces for 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia

FOX Sports and National Geographic are teaming up to cover the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The two will team up to create comprehensive multi-platform visual coverage, with FOX’s game telecast enriched by National Geographic’s photographers, videographers, journalists, mapmakers, and graphic artists. National Geographic Partners LLC is a joint venture between National Geographic Society and 21st Century Fox.

“National Geographic is unmatched in its devotion to our planet, with photographers, videographers and writers all over the world, and that’s particularly so in Russia,” says Eric Shanks, FOX Sports President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our goal is to take advantage of the substantial editorial access our colleagues at National Geographic have already established in Russia, which will clearly add a depth and texture to our storytelling, especially the features, vignettes and bumpers intended to capture the country’s beauty, diversity and culture.”

In preparation for its coverage of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup last summer, FOX Sports readied more than 60 features to air throughout the tournament. FOX Sports offered more human interest coverage of players and teams during its nearly 200+ hours of FIFA Women’s World Cup programming than any network in the event’s history. Similar coverage – though expanded to reflect the World Cup’s greater number of teams, players, and matches – is expected in 2018. 

“National Geographic has experienced journalists on the ground throughout Russia who will collaborate with our Emmy Award-winning sports producers and videographers to develop a much deeper level of content,” adds Shanks. “This collaboration should provide unparalleled storytelling we can use in many of the World Cup-related programs and digital offerings currently in development.”

“This unique collaboration is what our expanded partnership with Fox is all about – combining world class storytelling with tremendous scale and expertise,” says Susan Goldberg, Editor in Chief, National Geographic.  Early plans include a National Geographic hosted and curated consumer expedition to the World Cup; feature stories for National Geographic Magazine and National Geographic Traveler; a guide and special edition magazines devoted to the World Cup as well as Russian culture and history; utilization of National Geographic’s extensive social reach and platforms and creation of digital and on-air maps covering the region.