NPR sports correspondent Becky Sullivan joined forces with Jasmine Garsd to anchor NPR's coverage of the World Cup kickoff. On the Sunday Story episode of Up First, host Ayesha Rascoe brought them on to help explain the scale and logistics of the massive sporting event, admitting, "since I'm a soccer novice, to say the least, I'm getting some help on this subject." The show focused on how America is shaping the global tournament as games begin.
The conversation highlighted Sullivan's role in making the global tournament accessible to casual listeners. Rascoe introduced the reporting team by saying, "I'm joined today by NPR sports correspondent Becky Sullivan and NPR's Jasmine Garsd, a diehard soccer fan and host of the podcast The Last Cup." The episode framed the World Cup as a moment where the world's attention is about to be fully captured by soccer.
The reporting drew warm praise from the host as the segment concluded. Rascoe signed off by thanking the reporters: "That was NPR's Becky Sullivan and Jasmine Garst. Thank you so much. Really appreciate your reporting." As the matches progress, Sullivan's dispatches will continue to serve as a key entry point for American public radio audiences following the action.