FOX Sports to Televise the FIFA INTERACTIVE WORLD CUP 2016
FOX Sports, for the first time ever, is televising the FIFA INTERACTIVE WORLD CUP 2016, an annual international E-sports competition to crown the next official world champion of EA Sports’ FIFA 16 franchise. Thirty-two Grand Finalists gather in New York City March 20-22 for the three-day event on both the PlayStation®4 and Xbox One, culminating in one FIWC Champion. FOX Sports’ digital platforms FOXSportsGO and FOXSoccer2Go carry the full competition live, while FS1 provides exclusive live television coverage of the Grand Final on March 22.
In addition to its U.S. coverage, FOX Sports is using its extensive global reach to make this year’s FIFA Interactive World Cup available to numerous affiliates around the world, including Sky UK, FOX Sports Australia, Sky New Zealand and FOX Sports’ platforms throughout Latin America, Brazil, Asia, Africa and Europe.
“EA Sports’ FIFA game has had an enormous impact on the popularity of soccer in the U.S., resulting in a growing audience that knows the teams, players and tactics that make soccer the most popular sport in the world,” said FOX Sports Head of Business Operations, David Nathanson. "We’re excited to make the FIFA Interactive World Cup accessible to viewers in America through our multiple platforms and around the world through our international affiliates.”
The FIFA Interactive World Cup 2016 begins Sunday, March 20 with the draw, followed by a live, unauthenticated stream on FOX Sports GO, FOXSoccer2Go and FOX SportsGO.com of the group stages, rounds of 16 and quarterfinals on PlayStation®4 and Xbox One consoles, Monday, March 21 (2:00-7:00 PM ET). Live streaming of the semifinals and the Grand Final begins at 5:45 PM ET, Tuesday, March 22. FS1’s exclusive live U.S. television and digital coverage airs from 6:00-8:00 PM ET that evening, and features the semifinals followed by the Grand Finale.
This is the 12th FIFA Interactive World Cup. Since 2004, more than ten million players have participated, and this is the first year that players compete on both of the world’s leading consoles, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One. This year’s champions receive (US) $20,000 and a trip to the next FIFA Ballon d’Or.
