James Corden Is Back: New Late-Night Show Lands at Fox

Well, here we go: James Corden is jumping back into the late-night game, and this time he’s tying his comeback to one of the planet’s loudest, craziest events—the FIFA World Cup. If you’re wondering how a chatty Brit and former carpool crooner ended up at the center of soccer’s biggest circus, stick with me, because it’s actually pretty funny (and about as on-brand as it gets).

James Corden, Soccer Fan—Whether You Like It or Not

After wrapping up The Late Late Show on CBS just last year, Corden is apparently done with his sabbatical (if you can call twelve months of musical shorts and podcast cameos a break). Now, he’s been tapped by Fox to front their shiny new World Cup aftershow. The gig is called FIFA World Cup On FOX After Hours With James Corden—because everything broadcasts better in all caps—and it’ll air every night during the 2026 tournament.

What’s the Show?

Corden broke the news himself at Fox’s Upfronts in New York, surrounded by Michael Strahan, just to add to the 'sports guy' cred. The show kicks off on June 11, right after each day’s matches, and runs all the way to July 19, when—fingers crossed for chaos—the trophy is handed out. Don’t expect match analysis that’ll satisfy soccer diehards; Corden describes it as “a lighthearted look at the World Cup. We’ll talk about the games, and anything wild that happened that day.” Translation: it’s more laughs and memes than heat maps and xG charts.

Corden Isn’t Flying Solo

• Rio Ferdinand, longtime England captain, will be in the mix. So if you want someone who’s actually been on the pitch (and survived the British press), he’s your guy.
• Ian Karmel, who comedy nerds will remember as Corden’s head writer and on-air buddy from The Late Late Show, returns for more post-midnight shenanigans.

And yes, expect the usual parade of celebrity guests, soccer names, and internet sensations, all swinging by Fox’s LA studio—and absolutely zero subtlety about this being a spectacle first, soccer recap second.

The Bluntest Reason Ever

Corden, never one to dodge the obvious, gave maybe the least PR-spin answer ever about his motivation for joining Fox. 'Because they got the rights to the games. I can’t stress this enough, if they didn’t have the rights to the games, I’d do this show on the network that did.' Honestly, respect for the honesty.

Here’s the Context

The 2026 World Cup is going to be huge: 48 teams, 16 different cities, three countries hosting (the US, Canada, and Mexico—the travel is going to be wild). Every match, all 104 of them, will air somewhere on Fox or FS1, and you’ll also be able to stream in 4K on something called Fox One. So yes, there will be absolutely no excuse to miss any match (or Corden cracking jokes about it after).

Why This Matters

On one hand, it’s not shocking Corden was picked—he’s built for banter, he knows live TV, and Fox probably figures he’ll pull in viewers who think 'offside' is just a traffic violation. Having Rio Ferdinand actually lends the whole thing a bit of sports cred, and bringing back Ian Karmel from Corden’s old show means at least the jokes will be fast and familiar (if a bit inside-y at times).

The Bottom Line

James Corden is back, World Cup fever is about to take over North America, and Fox wants to glue you to their channel after every match, whether you care about soccer or just want to see celebrities try to explain what VAR actually means. Buckle up—this could be messy, chaotic, and honestly, probably a good time.