"Sportschau" host Lea Wagner (31) has become a mother for the first time. On Wednesday, the sports journalist shared several private photos on Instagram, announcing the birth of her daughter. In the pictures, she holds the newborn in her arms, while another photo shows her with the baby in a carrier.
Wagner did not reveal a name or specific birth date. In the caption, she wrote: "We've simply continued the sleep rhythm of the World Cup with its night games seamlessly." Wagner largely keeps her husband out of the public eye. The couple married in December 2025, and this is their first child together. The host announced her pregnancy publicly in early March.
Heavily Pregnant in the World Cup Studio
Wagner appeared on camera for ARD until just a few weeks before giving birth. During the World Cup, she hosted the broadcasts from the Cologne studio while heavily pregnant, before saying goodbye on Instagram for her baby break in early July. "Last one, everything went smoothly," she wrote about her final appearance at the time.
She had made it clear before the tournament in an interview with news agency spot on news that managing both the major event and her pregnancy was feasible for her. "Everything is relaxed at the moment. The pregnancy is going wonderfully," she said, adding that she could only "knock on wood that it stays that way."
Advice from Experienced Colleagues
During this time, she found it helpful to exchange experiences with women in her circle, as she shared in the same conversation. She was able to ask how long others had worked during their pregnancies, when they returned to work afterward, and how they had organized everything.
Wagner has been one of the most recognizable faces of ARD sports coverage for years. Since 2021, she has hosted ski jumping broadcasts on the network, and since 2023, she has regularly appeared on Saturdays for the Bundesliga edition of "Sportschau." In 2026, she first worked at the Winter Olympics, then at the World Cup. Wagner left it open in her post when she will return to the screen.
