Renowned soccer journalist Grant Wahl has died, the U.S. Soccer Federation reported Friday. Wahl was in Qatar covering the World Cup when he passed away.
Wahl suffered a heart attack Friday in the press box at the stadium where Argentina and Netherlands played their quarterfinal match, a person familiar with the situation told CBS News. Wahl had sent several tweets during the match.
“The entire U.S. soccer family is heartbroken to learn that we have lost Grant Wahl,” the U.S. Soccer Federation said in a statement Friday night. “Fans of soccer and journalism of the highest quality knew we could always count on Grant to deliver insightful and entertaining stories about our game, and its major protagonists.”
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Wahl had addressed his health on his Spotify podcast Thursday, saying that he had contracted bronchitis while in Qatar.
“I took some time off here myself,” Wahl told listeners. “We had two days off here without games. Seventeen straight days of games and my body, I think, told me, even when the U.S. went out, ‘Dude, you are not sleeping enough,’ and it rebelled on me. So I’ve had a case of bronchitis this week. I’ve been to the medical center at the clinic twice now, including today. I am feeling better today. I basically cancelled everything on this Thursday that I had, and I napped, and I am doing slightly better. You can probably tell by my voice that I am not doing 100% here.”
A prolific journalist, Wahl wrote for multiple outlets and was a CBS Sports contributor. He was an analyst on CBS Sports HQ throughout the Qatar World Cup, and wrote guest columns focused on the U.S. men’s national team for CBS Sports. He was also an editorial consultant for soccer documentaries on Paramount+.
Wahl was also married to Dr. Celine Gounder, a CBS News medical contributor. Gounder tweeted that she was “completely in shock” and thanked Wahl’s “soccer family” and their friends for their support as the news was reported.
Ned Price, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said that the agency was in communication with officials in Qatar.
“We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Grant Wahl and send our condolences to his family, with whom we have been in close communication,” Price tweeted. “We are engaged with senior Qatari officials to see to it that his family’s wishes are fulfilled as expeditiously as possible.”
“We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken over the tragic passing of Grant Wahl,” Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber tweeted. “He was a kind and caring person whose passion for soccer and dedication to journalism were immeasurable.”
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