As more than 80,000 fans streamed into MetLife Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, two Seton Hall students were already hard at work behind the scenes, helping FOX Sports bring the world's biggest soccer match to millions of viewers.
Through the Center for Sports Media’s “Pirates in the Field” program, senior visual and sound media major Niamh Campbell and sophomore sports media major Manuel Pereira served as operations runners for FOX Sports’ coverage of the championship match.
The program provides students with several experiential learning opportunities throughout the year, connecting them with opportunities to gain hands-on experience in the sports media industry.
“When I saw that they were sending kids to the World Cup, I thought it was to, I don't know, ask a few questions at media or something,” Pereira said. “But it was actually working for FOX. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’”
Campbell and Pereira began working with FOX Sports during the week leading up to the final, handling a variety of behind-the-scenes responsibilities.While much of their work happened away from the cameras, the experience gave Campbell and Pereira a firsthand look at the preparation required to produce one of the world’s largest sporting events.
“There was a wide range of stuff that we did, but all on the logistics side,” Campbell said. “A lot of it was stuff that people potentially forget about, as much as literally taking the trash out to the dumpsters.”
Leading up to the final, Campbell and Pereira also partnered with SHU TV to produce a podcast breaking down the tournament's biggest matches and storylines. Four episodes are available on Seton Hall’s Youtube channel.
“I think [these opportunities are] going to help not just the program grow and not just give kids an opportunity to have a little bit of a platform, but also help Seton Hall get the recognition that it should when it comes to sports media,” Pereira said.
Campbell also produced preview videos for all 104 tournament matches, which were published on the Center for Sports Media’s Instagram.
“I pretty much watched all the games, so I realized I might as well do something with that, which is where I came up with the idea for the preview videos,” Campbell said. “I was like, let me just do that for each game…I had a doc, I would fill in all the information, film it, get on Adobe, edit them all and post them.”
When the day of the final arrived, the sight of fans pouring into MetLife Stadium marked the culmination of Campbell and Pereira’s weeklong effort.
“For me, it was eye-opening to watch,” Campbell said. “To love soccer, to watch the World Cup and to see that everything we did was for what ended up being. To be honest, it didn’t feel real.”
The two watched most of the game, which turned out to be one of the most defensive World Cup finals in history. However, when Spain scored what proved to be the decisive goal, Campbell and Pereira were on assignment.
“I was bringing a wagon from the studio back to the inside presentation platform,” Campbell said. “We went at the halftime of the extra time and boom, they scored 30 seconds in and we were like, ‘No, we missed it.’ But even though we were outside, we could hear the reaction. It was awesome to hear both sides soaking in every second of it.”
Beyond the broadcast itself, the week also provided Campbell and Pereira with opportunities to connect with professionals who helped shape their goals in sports media.
During the match, Campbell and Pereira connected with FOX Sports executive and SHU alumnus Bardia Shah-Rais. Shah-Rais has won five Emmy Awards for his work as a producer, primarily on FOX's coverage of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Playoffs.
“Bardia’s a guy who deals with a lot of egos, and it could probably be easy to get carried away by that lifestyle,” Pereira said. “But he's really humble. It was awesome. Interacting with him at the game was kind of full circle.”
Campbell also met one of the people who inspired her to pursue sports media—FOX Sports host Rebecca Lowe.
“Bardia introduced me to her, and I was able to introduce myself and tell her a little bit about my story,” Campbell said. “That was just incredible. I will never forget that because I hope one day to be in a position like her to do the kind of stuff that she's doing. She's someone I really look up to.”
Campbell and Pereira wrapped up their week on Tuesday by helping dismantle the FOX studio. After nearly 90 hours of work, 5 a.m. wake-up calls and late-night drives home, they agreed every moment was worthwhile.
But their work with the Center for Sports Media will continue beyond the final whistle.
Pereira plans to continue partnering with the program to cover future events with fellow SHU students, while Campbell feels confident that the path she has chosen is the right one.
“As soon as I got there on day one, everyone was so welcoming,” Campbell said. “I made such amazing friends, and they got me excited and energized for doing the work. It definitely made everything clear that sports media is where I belong.”
William Gilhooly is an assistant editor of The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at william.gilhooly@student.shu.edu.
