US presenter apologizes over 'ignorant' comment about European country during World Cup coverage
Thomas Bamford
Featured Image Credit: X/Bosnian Football
An American TV reporter has found herself at the centre of a social media storm after a World Cup segment took an awkward turn live on air, prompting a wave of backlash she's since had to publicly address.
The broadcaster was covering reaction to the United States men's national team's World Cup campaign, with viewers tuning in for an update on how Team USA's tournament run was shaping up heading into the knockout stages.
What was meant to be a lighthearted segment hyping up the team's next fixture instead spiralled into a viral moment for entirely the wrong reasons, after one comment in particular caught the attention of football fans well beyond the broadcaster's usual audience.
It all started when the reporter was giving viewers an update on Team USA's next opponent, following the side's 3-2 defeat to Turkey, in a clip that would go on to rack up significant attention online for reasons she likely didn't anticipate.
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ABC7 Los Angeles' Abigail Velez was covering the build-up to the United States' Round of 32 clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina when she made the remark that landed her in hot water.
"The next round, Team USA will play Bosnia next Wednesday and one thing about Bosnia, I could not point out where it is on a map," Velez said. "I don't know the first thing about Bosnia and I don't want to know because Team USA, we're back, we're better than ever."
She then went on to taunt the Southeastern European side directly, telling them to brace themselves for what was coming.
"That's next Wednesday. Get prepared, Bosnia, because you don't want it, you don't want it like that, but you're gonna get it. That's next Wednesday," she added.
The comments didn't go down well, with the official Bosnian Football account on X among those to respond, posting, "My goodness, the stereotypes write themselves."
Football reporter Nima Tavalley Roodsari was equally unimpressed, writing on X, "'I can't even find Bosnia on a map' isn't the mic drop moment you think it is."
Other social media users were quick to weigh in too, with one branding the comment "embarrassing and stupid," while another argued it reflected a wider tendency to find "stupidity endearing and funny when it's really just embarrassing."
The United States topped their group for the first time since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, setting up the last-32 tie against Bosnia and Herzegovina, who progressed after a 3-1 win over Qatar in their final group game.
The two sides are set to face off at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to the Round of 16.
Following the backlash, Velez issued an apology, admitting the segment had been intended as harmless fun but had missed the mark entirely.
"In a poor effort to have a little fun with the World Cup competition, I took it too far and made a thoughtless comment on air that was insensitive and inappropriate," she wrote, speaking to her followers on X. "I apologize to the people of Bosnia and the Bosnian football team.
"The World Cup is supposed to be about uniting communities around the world, and my comment didn't reflect that spirit."
She closed her statement on a more diplomatic note, adding, "Wishing all the teams the very best as they continue their World Cup journey."
UNILAD has approached ABC7 for comment