Lalas drops NSFW British slur at James Corden live on Fox's World Cup coverage

Alexi Lalas caused an on-air moment that immediately went viral during Fox’s World Cup 2026 studio coverage on Friday, calling James Corden a “full kit w*” — a piece of British football slang — live in front of panelists Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović and presenter Rebecca Lowe.

The remark came seconds after a promotional package aired for Corden’s new Fox late-night show, FIFA World Cup on FOX After Hours with James Corden, in which the British presenter appears wearing a full Team USA training kit. Lowe turned to the panel and asked, “Can we talk about James Corden for a second?” Lalas jumped in immediately: “What do you guys call them? A… full kit w*, right? He’s all dressed up and ready to go.”

Henry and Ibrahimović were visibly taken aback, and Lowe needed a moment to recover before quipping, “Okay, lucky we’re on American TV” — noting that the term carries a far more explicit meaning to British ears. In UK football culture, a “full kit w*” is used to mock an adult who wears a complete professional strip — shirt, shorts, and socks — outside of an actual match. The phrase is relatively innocuous in that context, but the second word is a strong profanity in British English.

Viewers on social media were quick to flag the double meaning. “I don’t know if Alexi knows how crazy that is. W* means J-o. For real, James Corden IS a full kit w****, but wow,” one user wrote on X. Others misheard the comment entirely, with at least one post claiming Lalas had used an even stronger phrase.

Corden’s After Hours show premiered on Thursday and is scheduled to run through July 15. Each hour-long episode will recap the day’s World Cup action alongside former England captain Rio Ferdinand and comedian Ian Karmel. At a Fox upfront presentation, Corden described the programme as “a lighthearted look at the World Cup.”

The incident unfolded against the backdrop of the tournament’s opening days. Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 on Thursday in the competition’s first match, while the United States faced Paraguay on Friday evening.