Semra Hunter has become one of the standout stars of ITV’s coverage at the 2026 World Cup.
The American presenter has quickly won over viewers alongside Laura Woods and Mark Pougatch as the broadcaster covers the biggest FIFA World Cup in history.
But while football fans are getting to know her on screen, there’s plenty more to Hunter than meets the eye. Here’s 10 things you should know about ITV’s superstar presenter.
10 things to know about Semra Hunter
- She was born in Los Angeles, California on 11 March, 1987
- Hunter had dreams of being a professional footballer, but a bad injury at 16 meant she had to park those dreams
- Not only was she good at football, she was a junior Olympic volleyball champion
- After completing a bachelor’s degree in peace and conflict studies she went on to study at the Real Madrid International School, where she did her master’s degree in communication and sports journalism
- She is a polyglot, meaning she can speak multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Turkish and Catalan
- Hunter was the host for FIFA’s UEFA Preliminary Draw for the 2026 World Cup
- In a full circle moment she joined Real Madrid TV for two-and-a-half-years in 2013
- She is an expert in Spanish football
- Hunter has worked as a Spanish football expert for multiple household names, including; BBC, the Guardian, Sky Sports, Talksport, CNN, ITV, and Channel 4.
- She has worked for ITV since 2022 after the channel secured rights to 10 La Liga matches a season