LOL: LA Reporter Faces Backlash Over ‘Insensitive’ Bosnia Comments During Viral World Cup Report

An award-winning California news reporter faced backlash for her “insensitive” comments towards Bosnia-Herzegovina during her World Cup coverage, forcing her to apologize for taking the joke “too far.”

ABC7 Los Angeles’ Abigail Velez was covering the US national team’s match at a viewing party on the streets of Long Beach, Calif., Thursday, when she updated viewers on America’s next opponent after the 3-2 loss to Turkey.

“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 quipped. “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.”

Velez, who has been with the station since November 2025, doubled down and told the southeastern European nation to get ready for battle against the US.

“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 said before tossing the report back to the station.