Until recently, Abigail Velez was virtually unknown to most international soccer fans. However, a live appearance during the pregame coverage of the United States vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina Round of 16 match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup changed that in a matter of hours. Her name quickly began trending on social media, leaving thousands of people asking the same question: Who is she, and why has she become the focus of so much attention?
It all unfolded during a live television broadcast ahead of the United States’ Round of 32 match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. What seemed like a routine pre-match report quickly turned into a major controversy after the tone of several comments about Bosnia sparked criticism both inside and outside the United States.
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The comments that sparked the controversy
During the broadcast, Abigail Velez said she would not be able to locate Bosnia on a map, admitted she knew almost nothing about the country, and added that she had no interest in learning more about it. She then voiced her support for the USMNT, saying Bosnia should get ready to face the United States.
The remarks spread rapidly across platforms such as X and Instagram, where many Bosnian fans described them as disrespectful, uninformed, and unprofessional. The criticism was not limited to audiences abroad. Many American users also questioned why a journalist covering a global sporting event would publicly highlight her lack of knowledge about another country.
Among the most common reactions was the view that supporting the U.S. national team was not the issue. Instead, many argued that presenting unfamiliarity with another nation as part of the pregame discussion was inappropriate given the global stage of the World Cup.
Who is Abigail Velez?
Abigail Velez is a field reporter and fill-in anchor for ABC7 Los Angeles, one of Southern California’s leading local television stations. Her work primarily focuses on breaking news, community stories, court proceedings, and special events, reporting both live from the field and from the studio.
Originally from El Paso, Texas, she earned a degree in Multimedia Journalism from the University of the Incarnate Word. During college, she was actively involved in the university’s television newscast, contributed to the student newspaper, and participated in journalism organizations aimed at developing future broadcasters.
Before building her television career, Velez also competed in pageants. In 2022, she was crowned Miss San Antonio USA after previously holding the title of Miss El Paso Teen USA.
A rising career that reached Los Angeles
After graduating in 2022, Velez began her professional career at a local television station in North Carolina before moving to Austin, Texas, where she covered major court cases, severe weather events, and breaking news.
For now, however, her name has made headlines not because of the reporting that helped build her career, but because of a single set of comments that unexpectedly shifted the spotlight onto a growing international controversy.