Squad Sesame Street: Fox Bringing Elmo, Cookie Monster To FIFA World Cup
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 07:59PM By Barry Janoff
May 12, 2026: The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, which has expanded to a record 48 teams, has now added one more.
Fox Sports, the exclusive English-language home in the U.S. for the FIFA tournament, has signed a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to bring children’s brand Sesame Street characters Elmo, Cookie Monster, The Count and others from The Muppets to the games.
Anchoring the alliance, characters from Sesame Street will be integrated into Fox Sports’ World Cup programming through special content segments, staring this week and then rolling out across the tournament from June 11 to July 19.
According to a suporting campaign, "Sunny Days Are Coming To The FIFA World Cup On Fox.”
"We couldn’t be more excited to be working with one of the most adored children’s franchises in the world for FIFA World Cup 2026,” Fox Sports vp-production Zac Kenworthy said via the network.
"By collaborating with Sesame Street, we’re adding a fun and educational element that brings families together around the Fox Sports viewing experience."
According to Fox Sports and Sesame Street, “Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird and friends will appear on Fox Sports programming and across World Cup telecasts throughout the summer. The content segments highlight the beautiful game in fun ways, all in the authentic voices of the fan-favorite characters audiences have grown to love.”
Segments include, "The Count Down" featuring Count von Count breaking down the tournament’s biggest stats; "Trash Talk" with Oscar the Grouch leading a satirical highlight show featuring "grouchy" moments on-and-off pitch; and "Broadcaster Bootcamp" where Grover teams with Fox Sports broadcasters to learn the nuances of calling a major soccer game.
The Muppets of Sesame Street seemed primed and ready for their FIFA World Cup assignments.
"Me been told you can’t use your hands in soccer so me been practicing eating cookies without me hands to get ready for the World Cup," said Cookie Monster via Fox Sports. 
"I am counting the days until the World Cup," said The Count via Fox Sports. "I am also counting the number of teams, how many games they will play, the number of spectators. Here I go! 1… 2… 3… Are we in a rush? I might be here a while."
“The World Cup is one of the biggest cultural moments of the year, and a powerful opportunity to engage families with our beloved Sesame Street characters in new and unexpected ways,” Samantha Kennedy, vp-marketing and brand strategy at Sesame Workshop, said via the group.
“Through this collaboration with Fox Sports, we’re creating memorable moments that resonate with families and fans of all ages — all in service of our nonprofit mission to help children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.”
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