Soccer Hall of Famer Alexi Lalas and Fox Sports Executive Ben Grossman Speak to Students About the Road to the FIFA World Cup

Syracuse, NY – Alexi Lalas, former U.S. National Soccer player, said the 1994 World Cup changed his life. He thinks the 2026 World Cup will do the same for Americans.

Grossman and Lalas answer student questions in a panel discussion on Wednesday. Photo credit: Julianna Schwindt

“I live the power of what it can do to an individual,” Lalas said. “I think a lot of people are going to get an experience in the summer of 2026, not just from a fan perspective, but also even from a work and career perspective that fundamentally changes them.”

Lalas, who is now a soccer analyst for Fox Sports, spoke to Newhouse students on Wednesday. He was joined by Ben Grossman, consulting executive for Fox Sports and co-owner of Minnesota United and Angel City FC. The panel was moderated by Cati Hance, who is the Director of Fox Sports University.

All 2026 World Cup coverage in the U.S. will air on Fox Sports. Grossman and Lalas are part of a team tasked with maximizing viewership of the World Cup. They plan to do that, in part, through telling player’s stories, especially the stories of a young, maturing U.S. National Team.

“I think what a lot of people are looking for is that in this World Cup, a home World Cup, there is a little sprinkle of magic from the soccer gods,” Lalas said. “I’m hoping for the country to come together in a way that, let’s be honest, our country rarely does now, behind this team and these individuals.”

Lalas waves while Grossman talks about women’s sports. Photo credit: Julianna Schwindt

Beyond the 2026 Men’s World Cup, the future is in women’s sports, Grossman said. 

“You’re seeing this generation of kids coming up where it’s just sports,” Grossman said. “We have kids who are teenagers, and they grew up not separating men’s sports and women’s sports.”

Grossman and Lalas left students with some advice. Lalas talked about the importance of being prepared in all aspects of the job. 

Grossman told the story of a life-changing conversation. When he was working in PR for the Colorado Rapids, he let his power get to his head. The head coach of the team sat him down to tell him that although he was good at what he did, his team didn’t like him.

“Take people along for the ride with you,” Grossman said. “I can’t tell you how much it matters if people want to work with you and hang out with you. Just be nice.”