FOX Sports unveils multi-platform coverage plans for 2016 Copa America Centenario
FOX Sports today unveils its comprehensive multi-platform coverage of the historic 2016 COPA AMERICA CENTENARIO: The Championship of the Americas, when the tournament commences later this year. The announcement was made by David Neal, FIFA World Cup Executive Producer, FOX Sports. Production of the tournament is led by Neal, supported by the same team that produced FOX Sports' critically-acclaimed coverage of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2015â¢.
FOX Sports televises all 32 matches of what is the biggest, most prestigious men's soccer tournament hosted on American soil since the 1994 FIFA World Cup, live from 10 nationwide venues from June 3 to June 26. FS1 is scheduled to carry 21 matches, with four airing on the FOX broadcast network. FX, FOX's widely distributed general entertainment channel, is slated to televise two quarterfinal matches and the Third Place match, with four group stage games appearing on FS2. Every contest is available on recently updated FOX Sports GO and FOX Soccer 2Go mobile apps and on desktop computers via FOXSportsGO.com.
"Copa America Centenario promises to be a spectacular showcase for soccer in the United States," said Neal. "We expect viewers to be riveted by the most important men's soccer event on U.S. soil in 22 years. It will be a seminal moment for the sport and for soccer fans in the United States."
In addition to live game action, FOX Sports offers extensive studio coverage prior to and following most matches, plus nine editions of COPA TONIGHT, the hour-long definitive last word on the day's events. The vast majority of pre-match shows are 60 minutes in length, with the rest scheduled for 30 minutes. In all, FOX Sports has scheduled an exhaustive 101 hours of COPA AMERICA CENTENARIO match and studio coverage.
The COPA AMERICA CENTENARIO, which is being contested in the United States for the first time, celebrates the tournament's first 100 years and features 16 national teams from the Americas, with Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and the United States the top-seeded teams in each group.
The U.S. Men's National Team opens the tournament Friday, June 3 on FS1 (9:30 PM ET), hosting Colombia in a highly-competitive Group A match at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The U.S. continues play against Costa Rica in both teams' second group stage match in prime time on Tuesday, June 7 (8:00 PM ET), live from Soldier Field in Chicago.
Matches scheduled to air on the FOX broadcast network feature many of the tournament's biggest draws, including Chile and Argentina. The FOX broadcast schedule is highlighted by a big doubleheader on Friday June 10 between defending COPA AMERICA champions Chile against Bolivia (7:00 PM ET), followed by Lionel Messi's Argentina battling Panama in Group D (9:30 PM ET).
Featuring iconic names like David Luiz Brazil opens their campaign in Group B at the legendary Rose Bowl on Saturday, June 4 (FS1, 10:00 PM ET) against Ecuador, while Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez leads Mexico in Group C against Uruguay on Sunday, June 5 (FS1, 8:00 PM ET).
Other notable group stage confrontations include a rematch of the 2015 COPA AMERICA final between Argentina and Chile on Monday, June 6 (FS1, 10:00 PM ET), and a rematch from another tournament when Jamaica and Mexico clash on Thursday, June 9 (FS1, 10:00 PM ET) in a replay of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup final.
Quarterfinals of the COPA AMERICA CENTENARIO are carried on FS1 and FX, with FS1's matches airing Thursday, June 16 (9:30 PM ET) and Friday, June 17 (8:00 PM ET) and the FX matches coming in a doubleheader Saturday, June 18 (7:00 & 10:00 PM ET). FS1 carries both semifinals on consecutive evenings, Tuesday, June 21 (9:00 PM ET) and Wednesday, June 22 (8:00 PM ET). The final is also set to air on FS1 in prime time, Sunday, June 26 (8:00 PM ET) from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
The COPA AMERICA is the oldest international soccer tournament in the world, and has previously been contested only in South America. The CENTENARIO edition of the tournament features CONMEBOL competing against CONCACAF nations across the United States for the first time. The competition begins with a round-robin stage featuring four groups of four teams. Group A consists of the USA, Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay; Group B comprises Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti and Peru; Group C contains Mexico, Uruguay, Jamaica and Venezuela; and Argentina, Chile, Panama and Bolivia round out Group D.
FOX Sports' multi-platform marketing campaign for the Copa America Centenario celebrates the global anticipation, excitement, and celebration of this world-class competition, one hundred years in the making.
