The 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage is in full swing, with six matches packed into every single matchday, turning following the tournament into a full-time commitment for even the most dedicated football fans. For two American men, that commitment is not just a passion project—it is a paid job that comes with a $50,000 salary.
Kevin Akoto, a line cook from Florida, and Austin Franklin, a Philadelphia-based influencer, beat out thousands of applicants to land the unique role of Fox One “Chief World Cup Watchers”. Their core task: watch every single one of the tournament’s 104 matches live, while creating social content for global football fans. Over a week into their assignment, the BBC caught up with the pair to hear about their once-in-a-lifetime experience in one of the busiest public spaces on Earth.
Perched directly in the center of New York City’s iconic Times Square, the duo’s workspace is a purpose-built, fully transparent glass cubicle that passersby can peer into at any time. Far from a sparse, uncomfortable viewing space, the cubicle is decked out to be a football fan’s dream: plush recliners, a matching brown leather sofa, two large 4K televisions for simultaneous match viewing, a foosball table for downtime between games, stacks of official team merchandise, and an endless supply of game-day snacks. “It’s exactly what any 20-year-old football fan would build if they could design their perfect viewing space,” Akoto told the BBC.
With the tournament stretching on for several more weeks, the pair have had to carefully pace themselves to avoid burnout. Both have already spoken openly about the mental and physical fatigue that comes with hours of continuous viewing. “I’ve gotten worn down, Austin’s gotten a bit worn down, so we’re just learning how to keep up with everything that’s going on,” Akoto explained. Franklin compared the experience to a weeks-long summer camp, where days start to blur together after the first week. “This is a total marathon. It’s an easy job on paper—I’m just sitting on a couch watching football—but it’s still incredibly tiring. I make sure to get a full eight hours of sleep whenever I can,” he added. Fortunately, the job does not require the pair to sleep in the glass cubicle; they wrap up their shifts each day, head to private accommodation to recharge, and return refreshed the next morning.
Alongside the long hours, the role comes with a string of exciting perks. The pair have already witnessed multiple historic tournament moments from their front-row seats: they watched Lionel Messi break the all-time World Cup scoring record while enjoying a catered meal of traditional Argentinian barbecue, a part of the role’s unique catering program that serves native cuisine from each competing nation throughout the tournament.
Between matches, the pair get frequent opportunities to interact with the thousands of World Cup fans that flood Times Square daily, from large groups of Brazilian supporters celebrating wins to Norwegian fans who brought their viral Viking rowing celebration to the iconic tourist hub. Franklin says these interactions are his favorite part of the job. “Getting to meet fans from all over the world, talk about football, culture, and their experience visiting the U.S.—that’s what makes this special,” he said. “The craziest part is how often I forget I’m right in the middle of Times Square with people watching me. I’ll get sucked into a match for 10 or 15 minutes, and when I look up, I’m suddenly reminded hundreds of people are walking past watching right back.”
When it comes to picking a tournament winner, the pair have differing predictions. Akoto is backing Spain to lift the World Cup trophy, though he says he will be cheering on the U.S. and Ghana throughout the rest of the tournament, due to his personal roots. Franklin, meanwhile, wears a Norway national team jersey and is backing the Scandinavian side to pull off an upset win. “Everyone is picking Spain or France as the easy favorite, but Norway is right on the cusp of greatness. If things fall their way, I fully believe they can bring the trophy home,” he explained.
Both Akoto and Franklin say they have zero regrets about taking the role, but public opinion on the unique job is split among the spectators who stop by the cubicle. Norwegian fan Eimund Liland, 52, who visited Times Square with his 15-year-old daughter Camille, called watching all 104 matches with no privacy “a total overdose” of football. Eighteen-year-old Matthew Mendez told the BBC he would rather experience the World Cup watching matches with friends and family than sit alone in a public cubicle for weeks. But for 20-year-old Miguel Sanchez, the opportunity is a dream come true. “What? This is even better than going to the World Cup in person—getting paid $50,000 just to watch football? That’s crazy, that’s really crazy,” he said.