Klopp confirms punditry role at World Cup 2026 after teasing fans with sideline return

Jurgen Klopp will return to the sidelines this summer — not as a manager, but as a pundit for German broadcaster Magenta TV at the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The former Liverpool manager, who left Anfield in 2024 before taking up a role as head of global football at Red Bull, announced the appointment on Instagram in November 2025. His post, which hinted at a return to management, read: “Grass underfoot, stadium atmosphere, very close! Back to the sideline, I’m looking forward to it!” The reveal that followed was rather more modest — but no less enthusiastic.

“Oh? No, not as a manager,” Klopp clarified in the accompanying video. “I am becoming a pundit for Magenta TV at the FIFA World Cup 2026.” He added that the prospect of being pitchside again had rekindled a familiar feeling: “It is tingling again. Grass underneath my feet. The heated atmosphere in the stadium. And I want to be really close again.”

Klopp is expected to begin his punditry duties at the tournament opener — Mexico vs South Africa on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City — having already posted from the Mexican capital alongside his Magenta TV colleagues ahead of the event. He also confirmed his plans to German TV host Johannes B. Kerner, quipping: “Hi Johannes. I’m in! See you on June 11 in Mexico! Cool sentence. Except for Indiana Jones, probably nobody can say it.”

His native Germany enter the tournament on Sunday, June 14, when they face Curacao in their opening group match.

Klopp used the occasion to send good wishes to several players he has worked with, singling out Florian Wirtz, Andy Robertson and Alisson Becker. “I hope Flo Wirtz will have a fantastic, fantastic World Cup,” he said. “I think he has everything you need to be a standout player. I don’t want to put any pressure on the boy — I really think he showed already how good he can be in a difficult season.”

He also expressed delight at the prospect of Robertson and Becker crossing paths on the international stage, with Scotland having qualified for the tournament alongside Brazil. “Can you imagine that you play together for such a long time and Scotland qualifies?” Klopp said, underlining his affection for the players he managed during his nine years on Merseyside.

In addition to his Magenta TV role, Klopp continues to serve as an ambassador for Budweiser, one of the tournament’s official sponsors.