Italian TV confuses Bill Gates for the deceased Steve Jobs during World Cup broadcast, igniting viral mockery
An Italian public broadcaster's newscast committed a viral blunder by listing the late Steve Jobs among celebrities at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, confusing him with Bill Gates and prompting widespread ridicule online.
The gaffe
During a TG1 report on the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, journalist Felicita Pistilli listed the celebrities spotted in the stands. "Hollywood takes shape in the stands," she said, "Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Steve Jobs, David Beckham and Tom Cruise, but not in the heart." The problem was immediate: Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, died in 2011 from pancreatic cancer. The person actually present was Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder.
Hollywood takes shape in the stands: Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Steve Jobs, David Beckham and Tom Cruise, but not in the heart.
The report aired during coverage of the US national team's debut match against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, near Los Angeles. Gates was indeed in the crowd, while Jobs had been dead for 15 years. The segment added a second, smaller error: the person shown on camera was not Brad Pitt but actor Rob Lowe, partially covering his face.
Social media reaction
The clip spread rapidly on Italian social media, triggering a flood of ironic and bitter comments. Users mocked the oversight. "According to TG1, Steve Jobs came back to life to watch the World Cup," one wrote. Another added: "Imagine how out of touch you must be to not know the fact, and not notice the blunder – from the speaker all the way through to the broadcast." Many questioned how such a mistake could pass editorial checks.
Earlier Shakira controversy
The gaffe added to RAI's existing embarrassment. During the opening ceremony at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the network cut Shakira's highly anticipated performance by 40 seconds to switch to the TG1 news bulletin. RAI later cited a "timing error" in explanation. The Jobs blunder now makes that reasoning seem mild by comparison.
The match
The US team, coached by Mauricio Pochettino, went on to defeat Paraguay 4-1. Bill Gates watched from the SoFi Stadium stands, the only tech visionary among the real-life celebrities that day.
