Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterWorld Cup 2026 continues did you expect to be hearing Arctic Monkeys on the coverage?ITV have been widely praised for their World Cup 2026 coverage so far, with a stunning studio to put the BBC to shame and huge names on punditry like Roy Keane and Gary Neville.It's not unusual for broadcasters to weave in whole playlists of tunes throughout a major tournament but early-era Arctic Monkeys was a strange one to hear ahead of Switzerland vs QatarDid you notice the Arctic Monkeys reference in ITV's World Cup coverage?If you're thinking of songs to include by the Monkeys that might have a North American feel to them, perhaps you'd be thinking of AM onwards.Famously, the band upped sticks from High Green, Sheffield, around 2009 to embrace a more Californian sound so it was odd to a song from Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not on ITV's coverage tonight. You may like Who are the ITV commentators, pundits and presenters for Qatar vs Switzerland? Who are the ITV commentators, pundits and presenters for South Korea vs Czechia? Where is ITV World Cup studio? Outrageous first look leaves BBC blushing That early, grittier sound of the band doesn't exactly scream United States, does it? Unless it's Fake Tales of San Francisco.It's a neat reference from ITV, who played the tune as host Mark Pougatch was going through the line-ups for each team.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Because, the game is of course being played you guessed it, in San Fran, California, just down from Silicon Valley.Here at FourFourTwo, we're a big fan of ITV using the Cars favourite Life Is A Highway for the main theme tune, but we're looking forward to which other British indie tunes will pop up as references for this tournament.The Wombats' Moving To New York, maybe?What have you made of ITV's coverage? Leave your comments belowTOPICSSwitzerlandQatarWorld CupWorld Cup 2026Mark WhiteSocial Links NavigationContent EditorMark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robsons time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.
