Emma Hayes pauses World Cup coverage to honour late father on his heavenly birthday

Emma Hayes stopped her on-air punditry segment during ITV’s World Cup coverage of Belgium vs Iran on Sunday to pay a heartfelt tribute to her late father, Sid, on what she described as his “heavenly birthday”.

The former Chelsea Women manager, now head coach of the United States women’s national team, has been part of ITV’s New York-based punditry team throughout the tournament. After completing her latest tactical breakdown, Hayes paused before handing back to the live action to address her father directly.

“Happy Father’s Day to everyone at home,” she said. “I know it’s a great day and it’s also my father’s heavenly birthday today and I want to say one thing to you dad up in heaven. Thank you for giving me so much confidence to have the opportunity to do this and so I leave you with this beautiful view.” She then turned to reveal the words “she will change the world” printed on the back of her jacket.

Sid Hayes, who passed away in 2023, left a significant legacy in English women’s football. He was instrumental in building Arsenal Women into one of the country’s dominant forces and played a key role in establishing youth leagues in Regent’s Park.

The tribute came amid a broader controversy surrounding ITV’s treatment of Hayes during the tournament. The broadcaster has faced accusations of sexism after asking her to deliver tactical analysis while leaning over wooden cabinets and using a small blackboard and chalk — a setup that critics described as resembling a kitchen, in stark contrast to the high-tech studio used by the show’s main pundits.

Television presenter Dan Walker was among those to question the arrangement. “I really like Emma Hayes and I think she’s an insightful pundit,” he wrote. “I’m not sure why they have decided to make it look like she’s writing the specials on a bistro chalkboard.”

Viewers on social media were more direct, with one post reading: “Why in the highkey misogyny is the only female pundit on ITV football broadcasting from a kitchen.” Others praised Hayes’ analysis while calling for an upgrade to her presentation setup, with one comment stating: “Sticking her in a kitchen with a chalkboard is setting women’s football back a decade.”

Hayes has not publicly addressed the criticism of her presentation format, but her Father’s Day message — and the defiant slogan on her jacket — suggested she remains focused on the work itself.