Grant Wahl posthumously inducted into National Soccer Hall of Fame

Prominent American soccer journalist Grant Wahl, who died in December while covering the World Cup in Qatar, was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Saturday. Here’s what you need to know:

Wahl was posthumously inducted as the recipient of the 2023 Colin Jose Media Award, which honors journalists whose careers have made “significant long-term contributions to soccer in the United States.”
Wahl died at age 49 covering the World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and the Netherlands. He suffered an aortic aneurysm, his wife said.
DaMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan, Jill Ellis, Lauren Cheney Holiday, Kate Sobrero Markgraf and Slavisa “Steve” Zungul were also inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame as members of the 2023 class. Hope Solo, who deferred her ceremony after being selected for the 2022 class, was also inducted.

Grant Wahl’s contributions to our sport are immeasurable.

Today he was honored with induction into the @soccerhof. https://t.co/WEZkQEZhRQ

— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) May 6, 2023

Backstory

A Princeton graduate, Wahl began his career with the Miami Herald in 1996. His career spanned more than 25 years, which included Wahl covering multiple World Cups and Olympic Games. He was especially known for his work at Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports and Fox Sports. In 2009, he wrote the bestseller “The Beckham Experiment.” He was among a group of 82 journalists who were honored for covering eight or more men’s World Cups during the latest cycle.

“He dedicated his life to growing the game and left an indelible legacy on American soccer,” the National Soccer Hall of Fame tweeted about Wahl on Saturday.

The Hall’s executive director Djorn Buchholz said in a statement: “These inductees are amazing examples of the growth and strength of soccer in our country. They represent so much of what makes the game special here, from the excellence of our national teams to our first-division domestic leagues as well.”