Trevor Noah and Opio to host live World Cup watch party
"Football is best enjoyed as a communal experience with friends," Opio said in an exclusive interview. "The 2026 World Cup will be a super-sized event with 48 teams competing across 3 countries. Trevor and I figured the biggest World Cup in history deserved nothing less than the biggest football party in history."
Opio and Trevor Noah in the President's Executive Box at the Camp Nou.
Ugandan comedian Joseph Opio and South African superstar Trevor Noah are hosting the mother of all football parties during this World Cup.
Last week, the duo launched a live World Cup watch party online that will revolutionize how fans enjoy The Beautiful Game around the world.
The show, billed as the official Watch-Along series for YouTube, is slated to run for the entire duration of the tournament.
"Football is best enjoyed as a communal experience with friends," Opio said in an exclusive interview. "The 2026 World Cup will be a super-sized event with 48 teams competing across 3 countries. Trevor and I figured the biggest World Cup in history deserved nothing less than the biggest football party in history."
This star-studded cast of celebrity A-listers will include Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi, "Austin Powers" and "Shrek" actor Mike Myers, six-time Grammy nominee Jack Harlow, "Insecure" creator Issa Rae, the Original King of Comedy Cedric the Entertainer, acclaimed author Malcolm Gladwell plus Liverpool and England legend John Barnes.
"Our World Cup watch party will explore football, comedy and life," Opio revealed.
"It won't just be a love letter to The Beautiful Game. It will also be a celebration of our decades-long friendship. We have prepared a mouthwatering treat for both diehard football fans and casual first-timers with a passing interest in the game. And we will actively interact with viewers live in the chat section."
Joseph Opio won the 2024 Emmy for Outstanding Writing.
If that feast of football doesn't satisfy your football appetite, Opio and Trevor will also be releasing multiple companion podcasts during the World Cup.
It will be sponsored by Verizon, Airbnb, Keurig, Mazda, Mozilla Firefox, Ritz Crackers and Klarna.
The World Cup Watch-Along marks the latest artistic collaboration between Opio and Noah.
The pair worked together for seven fruitful years on "The Daily Show."
Their last joint venture — a five-part docuseries titled "The World According to Football" — won Opio the 2024 Emmy for Outstanding Writing.
Opio, who has penned over 1,500 episodes of "The Daily Show," hopes him and Noah can reproduce that same triumphant magic.
"Fingers crossed, we will capture lightning in a bottle the second time," Opio said.
"Because the only thing better than working with your good friend and winning an Emmy is working with your good friend again and winning an Emmy again."