American sports journalist Grant Wahl died while covering the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Friday (December 9), CBS News reports.
Wahl's agent, Tim Scanlan, said the soccer analyst "appeared to have suffered some sort of acute distress in the press room" at the stadium during the quarterfinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands, which saw Argentina win in extra time on penalty kicks.
Paramedics were reportedly rushed to the scene but unable to revive Wahl, according to Scanlan.
Wahl was reported to have "received immediate medical treatment on site, which continued as he was transferred by ambulance to Hamad General Hospital," according to a statement from Qatari officials obtained by CBS News.
Wahl was live-tweeting during the match as part of his coverage for what was his eighth consecutive World Cup.
"The entire U.S. soccer family is heartbroken to learn that we have lost Grant Wahl," the U.S. Soccer Federation said in an official statement shared 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."
Wahl's official cause of death has not yet been determined.
The veteran sports journalist mentioned that he'd contracted bronchitis during the ongoing World Cup in the latest episode of his Fútbol with Grant Wahl podcast.
"I took some time off here myself," Wahl said. "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."
Scanlan also mentioned that Wahl had faced an "aggressive schedule" while covering the World Cup in Qatar.
"I asked, 'Was it too much?' and he said no, this is what he lived for, and he loved the World Cup," Scanlan said via CBS News, referencing a conversation he had with Wahl on December 3,. "He had just been recognized for his eighth World Cup. He had turned 48 yesterday. He was a noted chef and loved to entertain. Twenty good friends that came to his apartment last night to celebrate."
Wahl was contributing coverage for CBS Sports and had also written for multiple other others, while also working as an editorial consultant for soccer documentaries for Paramount+.