LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: (L-R) Mix Diskerud #10, Gyasi Zardes #20, Miguel Ibarra #19, Jozy Altidore #17 and Clint Dempsey #8 of the USA celebrate Dempsey's goal against Panama during the international men's friendly match at StubHub Center on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. The USA defeated Panama 2-0. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: (L-R) Mix Diskerud #10, Gyasi Zardes #20, Miguel Ibarra #19, Jozy Altidore #17 and Clint Dempsey #8 of the USA celebrate Dempsey's goal against Panama during the international men's friendly match at StubHub Center on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. The USA defeated Panama 2-0. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
Summer of Soccer Continues to Make History This Week
New York – The FOX Sports family of networks are soccer-fan heaven this week, as FOX Sports’ Summer of Soccer heats up with the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals, final and third-place game, huge matchups in the Guinness International Champions Cup and the FIFA World Cup Preliminary Draw, televised for the first time ever in the United States.
The historic week kicks off Wednesday, July 22, with the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals as the U.S. Men’s National Team continues its quest for a second straight Gold Cup championship vs. Jamaica on FOX Sports 1. Coverage begins at 5:30 PM ET with GOLD CUP MATCH DAY hosted by Rob Stone alongside analysts Warren Barton, Alexi Lalas and Eric Wynalda. Play-by-play announcer John Strong, analyst Brad Friedel and sideline reporter Julie Stewart-Binks have the call live from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Panama vs. Mexico follows in the second semifinal on FOX Sports 2 with GOLD CUP MATCH DAY pregame coverage beginning at 8:30 PM ET. JP Dellacamera, Stuart Holden and Francisco Rivera call the action from Atlanta, and Stone, Lalas and Wynalda are joined in studio by Mariano Trujillo.
FOX Sports presents another packed day of soccer coverage on Saturday, July 25, beginning with the Preliminary Draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ at 10:55 AM ET on FOX Sports 1. Televised in the United States for the first time ever, Kate Abdo is on site live from St. Petersburg, Russia, as the Preliminary Draw sets the groups for the first phase of qualifying in five of the six confederations and gives most countries an early road map of what they need to do to qualify for Russia in 2018. Stone, Lalas and Wynalda break down the results of the draw from FOX Sports’ Los Angeles studio.
That afternoon and evening, FOX Sports televises a trio of top international matches, highlighted by a massive clash between Manchester United and Barcelona, two of the world’s most storied club franchises, in the Guinness International Champions Cup at 4:00 PM ET on local FOX stations. JP Dellacamera, Brad Friedel and Keith Costigan call the action live from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. At the same time on Saturday, FOX Sports 2 airs the third-place match in the CONCACAF Gold Cup live from PPL Park in Philadelphia, and at 6:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 2, Chelsea faces Paris St. Germain in another huge ICC matchup.
An exciting weekend of top soccer action wraps up in primetime on Sunday, July 26, with the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final on FOX Sports 1. Coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET with GOLD CUP MATCH DAY before Strong, Friedel, Stewart-Binks, Rivera and Grant Wahl have the call live from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
FOX Sports’ Summer of Soccer features more than 200 live matches between Memorial Day and Labor Day, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup™, the UEFA Champions League Final, the FA Cup, the UEFA Europa League Final, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Major League Soccer All-Star Game and league matches every Sunday, the International Champions Cup, the debut of the Bundesliga on FOX Sports 1, the FA Community Shield, the Copa Libertadores Final and additional matches featuring both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams.
