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ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup (June 11-July 11) from South Africa will include all 64 matches televised live and in high definition on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, as well as extensive coverage on ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV. ESPN Radio will also broadcast all 64 matches. Today, ESPN FIFA World Cup executive producer Jed Drake announced the ESPN commentator assignments for the first 10 days of the tournament (through each team’s first two matches of pool play). Highlights:
- Legendary play-by-play commentator Martin Tyler, who has called every FIFA World Cup tournament since 1978, will pair with former Nigerian National Team player Efan Ekoku on the opening match – South Africa vs. Mexico – from Johannesburg Friday, June 11 at 9:30 a.m. ET (ESPN);
- Tyler and former United States National Team captain John Harkes will call the England vs. U.S. match from Rustenburg Saturday, June 12 at 1:30 p.m. (ABC), one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament;
- Harkes will serve as match analyst on all U.S. team matches, paired with different play-by-play commentators;
- Tyler and former Scottish National Team player Ally McCoist will call Germany vs. Australia Sunday, June 13 at 2 p.m. (ABC) from Durban;
- Ian Darke and Ekoku will call the first match for defending FIFA World Cup champion Italy vs. Paraguay Monday, June 14 at 2 p.m. (ESPN) from Cape Town;
- Darke and Ekoku will call Ivory Coast vs. Portugal from Group G Tuesday, June 15 at 9:30 a.m. (ESPN);
- Tyler and Ekoku will call Brazil vs. Ivory Coast, also from the “Group of Death,” Sunday, June 20, at 2 p.m. (ABC);
- On ESPN Radio, the lead broadcast team of JP Dellacamera and Tommy Smyth will call the South Africa vs. Mexico opener, as well as all U.S. team matches, including the England match June 12;
“ESPN’s World Cup commentator assignments will give fans the very best and most knowledgeable voices for the specific matchups in this year’s tournament,” said Drake. “We will use different pairings throughout pool play to better inform and entertain fans and to give us greater flexibility in South Africa.”
ESPN’s 2010 FIFA World Cup match commentators include: play-by-play voices — Darke, Adrian Healey, Derek Rae and Tyler; and analysts – Ekoku, Harkes, McCoist and Robbie Mustoe. ESPN Radio’s commentator teams include: Dellacamera and Smyth; Glenn Davis and Kyle Martino; and Ross Dyer and Shep Messing. Assignments for the conclusion of pool play and for the knockout round will be announced as the tournament progresses.
ESPN at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
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 and in high definition, and more than 50 matches will be televised live in Portuguese on ESPN Deportes. Additionally, ESPN3.com, ESPN’s signature broadband network, will offer simulcasts of all matches on ESPN and ESPN2; ESPN 3D, which launches June 11, will televise 25 matches; ESPN Radio will broadcast all 64 matches in English and provide additional multi-language match coverage; and ESPN’s mobile platforms will provide coverage of all 64 matches. ESPN will present 2010 FIFA World Cup television studio programming from site in South Africa, offering U.S. sports fans the most comprehensive news and information coverage throughout the month-long soccer showcase. Studio coverage will include SportsCenter segments, a nightly World Cup Live program, and pre, halftime and post-match shows, with additional studio programming and World Cup-branded segments, totaling more than 65 hours of coverage, originating from two sets in and around Johannesburg. ESPN International is also a FIFA World Cup rights-holder in Brazil and in the Indian Sub-continent and will provide extensive news and information coverage around the world.
2010 FIFA World Cup Groupings:
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
| 1 South Africa | 1 Argentina | 1 England | 1 Germany |
| 2 Mexico | 2 Nigeria | 2 USA | 2 Australia |
| 3 Uruguay | 3 Korea Republic | 3 Algeria | 3 Serbia |
| 4 France | 4 Greece | 4 Slovenia | 4 Ghana |
| Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H |
| 1 Netherlands | 1 Italy | 1 Brazil | 1 Spain |
| 2 Denmark | 2 Paraguay | 2 Korea DPR | 2 Switzerland |
| 3 Japan | 3 New Zealand | 3 Cote d’Ivoire | 3 Honduras |
| 4 Cameroon | 4 Slovakia | 4 Portugal | 4 Chile |
2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SCHEDULE – ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPN 3D, ESPN3.COM AND ESPN RADIO
- All times EASTERN | Schedule is subject to A
- All matches in high definition
- ABC Sports broadcasts in italics | ESPN Radio commentators ®
| Date | Time (ET) | Network | Match | Group | Site | Match # |
| Fri 6/11 | 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | South Africa vs. MexicoMartin Tyler and Efan Ekoku; JP Dellacamera and Tommy Smyth® | A | Johannesburg | 1 |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Radio | Uruguay vs. FranceIan Darke and Ally McCoist;Ross Dyer and Shep Messing® | A | Cape Town | 2 | |
| Sat 6/12 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Radio | Korea Republic vs. GreeceDerek Rae and Robbie Mustoe; Dyer and Messing® | B | Port Elizabeth | 3 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Argentina vs. NigeriaAdrian Healey and Ekoku Glenn Davis and Kyle Martino® | B | Johannesburg | 4 | |
| 2 p.m. | ABC/ESPN Radio | England vs. USATyler and John HarkesDellacamera and Smyth® | C | Rustenburg | 5 | |
| Sun 6/13 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Radio | Algeria vs. SloveniaHealey and HarkesDyer and Messing® | C | Polokwane | 6 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Serbia vs. GhanaDarke and EkokuDavis and Martino® | D | Pretoria | 7 | |
| 2 p.m. | ABC/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Germany vs. AustraliaTyler and McCoistDellacamera and Smyth® | D | Durban | 8 | |
| Mon 6/14 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Netherlands vs. DenmarkHealey and HarkesDavis and Martino® | E | Johannesburg | 9 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Radio | Japan vs. CameroonRae and Mustoe Dyer and Messing® | E | Bloemfontein | 10 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Radio | Italy vs. ParaguayDarke and EkokuDellacamera and Smyth® | F | Cape Town | 11 | |
| Tue 6/15 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Radio | New Zealand vs. SlovakiaHealey and HarkesDyer and Messing® | F | Rustenburg | 12 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Radio | Ivory Coast vs. PortugalDarke and EkokuDellacamera and Smyth® | G | Port Elizabeth | 13 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Brazil vs. Korea DPRTyler and McCoist Davis and Martino® | G | Johannesburg | 14 | |
| Wed 6/16 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Honduras vs. ChileHealey and HarkesDavis and Martino® | H | Nelspruit | 15 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Spain vs. SwitzerlandRae and MustoeDellacamera and Smyth® | H | Durban | 16 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | South Africa vs. UruguayTyler and McCoist Dyer and Messing® | A | Pretoria | 17 | |
| Thu 6/17 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Argentina vs. Korea Rep.Darke and HarkesDellacamera and Smyth® | B | Johannesburg | 18 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Greece vs. Nigeria Rae and Mustoe Davis and Martino® | B | Bloemfontein | 19 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | France vs. MexicoHealey and EkokuDyer and Messing® | A | Polokwane | 20 | |
| Fri 6/18 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Germany vs. SerbiaRae and Mustoe Davis and Martino® | D | Port Elizabeth | 21 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Slovenia vs. USADarke and Harkes Dellacamera and Smyth® | C | Johannesburg | 22 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | England vs. AlgeriaTyler and McCoistDyer and Messing® | C | Cape Town | 23 | |
| Sat 6/19 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Netherlands vs. JapanRae and MustoeDellacamera and Smyth® | E | Durban | 24 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Ghana vs. AustraliaHealey and HarkesDavis and Martino® | D | Rustenburg | 25 | |
| 2 p.m. | ABC/ESPN Radio | Cameroon vs. DenmarkDarke and EkokuDyer and Messing® | E | Pretoria | 26 | |
| Sun 6/20 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Slovakia vs. ParaguayHealey and Harkes Dyer and Messing® | F | Bloemfontein | 27 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Italy vs. New ZealandDarke and McCoist Davis and Martino® | F | Nelspruit | 28 | |
| 2 p.m. | ABC/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Brazil vs. Ivory CoastTyler and EkokuDellacamera and Smyth® | G | Johannesburg | 29 | |
| Mon 6/21 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Portugal vs. Korea DPRHealey and HarkesDyer and Messing® | G | Cape Town | 30 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Chile vs. SwitzerlandRae and Mustoe Davis and Martino® | H | Port Elizabeth | 31 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Spain vs. HondurasTyler and McCoist Dellacamera and Smyth® | H | Johannesburg | 32 | |
| Tue 6/22 | 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Mexico vs. Uruguay | A | Rustenburg | 33 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | France vs. South Africa | A | Bloemfontein | 34 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Nigeria vs. Korea Republic | B | Durban | 35 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Greece vs. Argentina | B | Polokwane | 36 | |
| Wed 6/23 | 9:30 a.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Slovenia vs. England | C | Port Elizabeth | 37 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | USA vs. Algeria | C | Pretoria | 38 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Ghana vs. Germany | D | Johannesburg | 39 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Australia vs. Serbia | D | Nelspruit | 40 | |
| Thu 6/24 | 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Slovakia vs. Italy | E | Johannesburg | 41 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Paraguay vs. New Zealand | E | Polokwane | 42 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Denmark vs. Japan | F | Rustenburg | 43 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Cameroon vs. Netherlands | F | Cape Town | 44 | |
| Fri 6/25 | 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Portugal vs. Brazil | G | Durban | 45 |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Ivory Coast vs. Korea DPR | G | Nelspruit | 46 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Chile vs. Spain | H | Pretoria | 47 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Switzerland vs. Honduras | H | Bloemfontein | 48 |
2nd Stage – Round of 16
| Date | Time (ET) | Network | Matchup | Site | Match # | |
| Sat 6/26 | 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | 1st A vs. 2nd B | Port Elizabeth | 49 | |
| 2 p.m. | ABC/ESPN Radio | 1st C vs. 2nd D | Rustenburg | 50 | ||
| Sun 6/27 | 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | 1st D vs. 2nd C | Bloemfontein | 51 | |
| 2 p.m. | ABC/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | 1st B vs. 2nd A | Johannesburg | 52 | ||
| Mon 6/28 | 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | 1st E vs. 2nd F | Durban | 53 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | 1st G vs. 2nd H | Johannesburg | 54 | ||
| Tue 6/29 | 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | 1st F vs. 2nd E | Pretoria | 55 | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | 1st H vs. 2nd G | Cape Town | 56 |
2nd Stage — Quarterfinals
| Date | Time (ET) | Network | Matchup | Site | Match # | |
| Fri 7/2 | 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Winners 53 vs. 54 | A | Port Elizabeth | 57 |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Winners 49 vs. 50 | B | Johannesburg | 58 | |
| Sat 7/3 | 9:30 a.m. | ABC/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Winners 52 vs. 51 | C | Cape Town | 59 |
| 2 p.m. | ABC/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Winners 55 vs. 56 | D | Johannesburg | 60 |
2nd Stage — Semifinals
| Date | Time (ET) | Network | Matchup | Site | Match # | |
| Tue 7/6 | 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Winners A vs. C | Cape Town | 61 | |
| Wed 7/7 | 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Winners B vs. D | Durban | 62 |
Third Place Match
| Sat 7/10 | 2 p.m. | ABC/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Losers – 61 vs. 62 | Port Elizabeth | 63 |
2010 FIFA World Cup Title Match
| Sun 7/11 | 1:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Winners – 61 vs. 62 | Johannesburg | 64 |
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