·
·
Football
Semra Hunter will join Laura Woods and Mark Pougatch as a host for ITV's World Cup coverage from the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
ITV has announced that Semra Hunter will join Laura Woods and Mark Pougatch as a new host for their World Cup coverage, which begins next month across the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Born and raised in the United States, Semra Hunter has a deep passion for football. She has previously worked as a host for La Liga TV and appeared on Sky Sports and the BBC. Hunter initially dreamed of becoming a professional footballer but had to abandon that goal after a serious injury at age 16.
After completing her studies in International Relations at the University of California Berkeley, Hunter pursued a master's degree in sports journalism and communication at UEM in Madrid. She completed the program in Spanish and secured an internship following her studies. Her familiarity with Spanish was influenced by her mother, who lived in Colombia and Mexico and spoke the language at home.
Hunter's career includes an internship at Al-Jazeera and a role at Real Madrid, where she spent two and a half years reporting in both English and Spanish, writing, editing, and producing her own shows. She then worked as a sports anchor and correspondent for Beyond the Game in Istanbul, covering events such as the 2016 Euros in France.
Returning to Spain for personal reasons, Hunter joined La Liga TV in 2018 and briefly hosted e-sports content for Konami. She has expressed that hosting a World Cup event is her immediate professional goal.
Alongside Hunter, ITV's World Cup presenting team includes Laura Woods as the main presenter and Mark Pougatch. Adam Richman, known for Man vs Food, will co-present with Hunter from the Brooklyn studio. The coverage will also feature celebrity guests and a dedicated studio section focusing on major social and cultural moments related to the World Cup.
