FIFA International Match Week on ESPN

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FIFA International Match Week on ESPN

  • U. S. National Team Doubleheader on March 29: USA vs. Guatemala in 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Contest and USA-Colombia in Rio 2016 Olympic Playoff
  • International Friendlies Featuring Top-Ranked UEFA EURO 2016 Teams – Italy vs. Spain, Germany vs. England, Germany vs. Italy, Belgium vs. Portugal, and more

ESPN’s coverage of the first FIFA International Match Week in 2016 will culminate Tuesday, March 29, with a U.S. National Soccer Team doubleheader on ESPN2 and WatchESPN – U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Guatemala at 7 p.m. ET and U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team vs. Colombia at 9:20 p.m.

Ian Darke, ESPN’s lead soccer voice, analyst Taylor Twellman and sideline reporter Mónica González will handle commentary for the USA vs. Guatemala, the second leg of a pair of semifinal round World Cup Qualifying matches, at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Following the USA senior team’s match, Adrian Healey and Alejandro Moreno will call the match between USA and Colombia Under-23 teams – the second in a home and away qualifying series for the 2016 Olympic Qualifying playoff at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

Bob Ley (host) and studio analyst Kasey Keller will be on-site in Columbus for pre-and post-game SportsCenter segments, as well as halftime and studio programming in-between the World Cup and Olympic qualifying matches.

Highlights:

  • Jon Champion (play-by-play) and Twellman will call the Italy vs. Spain friendly Thursday, March 24, on ESPN2 at 3:30 p.m. Ricardo Ortiz and Andrés Agulla will provide Spanish-language commentary on ESPN Deportes;
  • Slovakia vs. Latvia on ESPN Deportes, Friday at 3:30 p.m., with commentators Robert Sierra (play-by-play) and Barak Fever;
  • On Saturday, March 26: Champion and Twellman will call 2014 FIFA World Cup champion Germany vs. England on ESPN2 at 3:30 p.m., while Fernando Palomo (play-by-play) and Tato Noriega will provide Spanish-language commentary on ESPN Deportes;
  • Tuesday, March 29: Champion and analyst Craig Burley will call Germany vs. Italy on ESPN2 and WatchESPN at 2:30 p.m. At the same time on ESPN Deportes, Mendez and Noriega will commentate on the Belgium-Portugal match, which has been moved from King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels to Leiria, Portugal, in the wake of Tuesday’s terrorist attacks;
  • Each FIFA international match day, ESPN FC (ESPNEWS, 6 p.m. weekdays / ESPN2, 12 a.m. Sunday) will air extensive highlights from the day’s action across the world focusing on 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying and international friendlies. The program will also air halftime and post-match editions during select match telecasts;
  • ESPNFC.com: Reporter Doug McIntyre will cover the U.S. Men’s National Team during the team’s camp in Miami. Jeff Carlisle will travel and cover the team in Guatemala City on Friday, March 25, while McIntyre will be in Columbus. Both writers will provide match previews, post-match stories, live chats during the matches and player ratings.

Schedule:

Date Time (ET) Event Network(s)
Thu, Mar 24 1 p.m. Spain vs. Croatia (U-21 Euro Qualifiers) ESPN Deportes, ESPN3
  3:30 p.m. Italy vs. Spain (Friendly) ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
  3:45 p.m. Czech Republic vs. Scotland (Friendly) ESPN3
Fri, Mar 25 3:30 p.m. Slovakia vs. Latvia (Friendly) ESPN Deportes, ESPN3
Sat, Mar 26 12 p.m. Russia vs. Lithuania (Friendly) ESPN Deportes, ESPN3
12:30 p.m. Austria vs. Albania (Friendly) ESPN3
  3:30 p.m. Germany vs. England (Friendly) ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
Tue, Mar 29 2:30 p.m. Austria vs. Turkey (Friendly) ESPN3
  2:30 p.m. Germany vs. Italy (Friendly) ESPN2, WatchESPN
  2:30 p.m. Belgium vs. Portugal (Friendly) ESPN Deportes, ESPN3
  3 p.m. Scotland vs. Denmark (Friendly) ESPN3
  3 p.m. France vs. Russia (Friendly) ESPN3
7 p.m. USA vs. Guatemala (FIFA World Cup Qualifier) ESPN2, WatchESPN
  9:20 p.m. USA U-23 vs. Colombia (2016 Olympics Qualifier) ESPN2, WatchESPN

**All matches and times subject to change

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Mac Nwulu

I joined ESPN in 1998 and since then, it's been a great experience managing PR and communications for a range of ESPN initiatives and properties over the years. I am currently focused on soccer and The Undefeated, ESPN’s site focusing on sports, race and urban culture and how they intersect.
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