Cox, DirecTV, AT&T U-Verse To Present ESPN's Multi-language World Cup Coverage

ESPN has brought on Cox, DirecTV, and AT&T U-Verse to distribute its coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Arabic, German, Japanese and Korean. These new affiliates will air non-English telecasts of select matches live from South Africa. This will mark the first time in its FIFA World Cup history that ESPN will offer live matches of the tournament in languages other than English.

Subscribers can access the Arabic, German, Japanese or Korean telecast by making a simple adjustment directly on their set top box and selecting the appropriate option in their on screen guide, or online via ESPN3.com.

The deal comes on the heels of ESPN’s announcement in November 2009 that ESPN Deportes, the all-sports Spanish-language network, and ESPN3.com will provide Portuguese-language telecasts of 2010 FIFA World Cup, as part of its multi-language rights (except Spanish) in the U.S. for FIFA events through 2014. The network will air more than 50 World Cup matches in Portuguese live in the U.S.

“We are always looking for new ways to serve our fans and the World Cup presented the perfect opportunity,” says David Preschlack, EVP, affiliate sales and marketing, Disney & ESPN Networks Group. “Our team has coordinated a lot of moving pieces to make this happen and we think the end result will help our affiliates serve their increasingly diverse
constituents.”

Schedules of matches available in each language will be announced closer to the beginning of World Cup on June 11. Instructions for accessing the various languages will vary depending upon provider.

South Africa 2010 will be ESPN’s seventh FIFA World Cup and coverage of the event promises to be the most comprehensive in company history. ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will air all 64 matches live in HD. In addition, ESPN3.com will feature live English-language simulcasts of matches and ESPN Mobile TV will show all matches. ESPN Radio will broadcast all 64 matches.