Who is Abigail Velez? FIFA World Cup reporter apologizes for 'insensitive' Bosnia remarks

Abigail Velez is an ABC7 Los Angeles field reporter and fill-in anchor who has recently been in the news after a viral World Cup live hit about Bosnia and Herzegovina. Reports say she later apologized for making comments viewers considered “insensitive” and “inappropriate.”

Who she is

Velez has been described as a local TV journalist covering breaking news, community stories, court proceedings, and special events for ABC7 Los Angeles. One profile says she is originally from El Paso, Texas, and studied Multimedia Journalism at the University of the Incarnate Word.

What happened

During a live World Cup segment, she joked that she could not point out Bosnia on a map and did not want to know anything about the country. That clip spread quickly online and drew backlash from viewers and Bosnian fans.

Her apology

Velez later said she was trying to have “a little fun” with World Cup competition but “took it too far,” calling her remark “thoughtless,” “insensitive,” and “inappropriate.” She apologized to “the people of Bosnia and the Bosnian Football team.”

Why it’s trending

The story has spread because it mixes live TV, sports banter, and a diplomatic-sounding backlash over a comment that many people saw as dismissive. Coverage from multiple outlets suggests the apology became part of the story almost as quickly as the original clip.

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