GOLD CUP KICKS OFF ON ESPN AFRICA THIS JUNE

ESPN Africa is proud to announce another debut for viewers on the continent as, for the very first time, the broadcaster has secured the rights to the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Gold Cup. Adding to its diverse variety of programming for football enthusiasts to enjoy, this exciting new tournament kicks off on Friday 16 June at 22:45 (CAT).

Taking place every second year, the Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men’s national football teams governed by CONCACAF, made up of teams from across North America, Central America and the Caribbean. CONCACAF serves as the organizing body for 41 national associations, including the United States, and Canada. 

This exciting addition to ESPN’s unparalleled offering of sports programming kicks off with the Gold Cup Prelims which will take place between 16 – 20 June at DRV PNK Stadium (Fort Lauderdale), which will include two direct elimination rounds. For Round One, the 12 participating teams were divided into six pairings. After single-match elimination play, the six-match winners will advance to Round Two. The three Round Two matchup winners will advance to the 2023 Gold Cup Group Stage. The Group Stage action will take place between 24 June – 4 July and will feature the 16 nations divided into four groups.

After round-robin play, the top two finishers in each of the groups (eight teams) will advance to the Knockout Stage which will include the Quarterfinals, to be played on 8 and 9 July, the   Semifinals on 12 July, and the Final at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, 16 July.

The tournament will feature a number of global and rising stars from across the region who are household names to football supporters the world over and include Canada’s Alphonso Davies, the USA duo of Giovanni Reyna and Christian Pulisic as well as veteran and storied Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. 

Catering to passionate football fans across the continent, the matches will air live on ESPN or ESPN2, with repeat broadcasts for additional viewing options.

“We could not be more excited for Concacaf football to be offered on ESPN Africa,” says Concacaf Chief Commercial Officer, Heidi Pellerano. “This marks a pivotal moment in our efforts to enhance the visibility and popularity of Concacaf football worldwide. We are delighted to showcase our incredible Gold Cup tournament to a diverse and passionate audience across the continent.”  

Sharing his excitement about the announcement Kyle De Klerk, Director: Sports at the Walt Disney Company Africa shared, “We are thrilled to present the remarkable skills and exhilaration of the Gold Cup to our audience and to reaffirm our promise to showcasing the best sporting content across the continent. This valuable addition to our programming line-up enables us to broadcast yet another prestigious tournament that will no doubt deliver more unforgettable moments to viewers.”

For updates regarding ESPN Africa programming, football and other sports, fans can connect to @ESPNAfrica on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit https://www.espn.com/. 

Main Image: C. Pulisic – USA

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