We’re barely a week into the 2026 World Cup and the BBC have already been inundated with complaints about one of their pundits. This year’s edition is bigger than ever before, with a whopping 48 teams competing in the tournament.
That means more matches than ever too, with an extra 40 games being played at the 2026 World Cup compared to four years ago in Qatar. As such, broadcasters have been forced to bolster their ranks with bumper squads of their own, but not every selection is proving a success.
Fans have been vocal about Olivier Giroud’s inclusion as a pundit on the BBC’s coverage, with several complaints having been issued on social media. @AshleenPrior wrote on X: “Olivier Giroud is soooo painful to listen to. Awful pundit.”
@stokaljona remarked: “We’ve got to get rid of Giroud as a pundit, I can’t keep doing this.”
Before @TulsaLange chimed in with: “Whoever it was at the BBC that thought that Olivier Giroud could be a pundit has made a disastrous decision. He’s absolutely abysmal.”
@mohammedali_93 added: “Giroud is such a poor pundit. What were the BBC thinking?”
@isoquince said: “Giroud talks too slowly for TV.”
While @9_Hendo posted: “Olivier Giroud has just said Belgium can bring on Lois Openda second half. Lois Openda wasn’t selected by Belgium for the #WorldCup.”
And @lynzr33 put: Who in @BBCSport thought getting Olivier Giroud as a pundit was a good idea? I’m sure he’s a great bloke & has a wealth of knowledge but he’s not able to speak English well enough to be doing that.”
Giroud, now into his late thirties, still competes as a player in Ligue 1 for Lille. Having played at the Club World Cup in the United States last summer, Giroud has now turned his hand to punditry for the first time.
Speaking about his new gig, Giroud said earlier this month: “I’m really excited about starting a new experience. And yeah, looking forward to seeing Micah [Richards] and Wazza [Wayne Rooney].”
The BBC are sharing the hosting rights for this summer’s World Cup with ITV. England’s tournament began on ITV against Croatia on Wednesday, with the BBC set to broadcast the second group match against Ghana.