CBC Showcases The Beautiful Game

CBC is heading to soccer pitches across the globe and throughout Canada in June with extensive coverage of the FIFA Confederations Cup, June 14 to 28, and CBC’S SOCCER DAY IN CANADA, Saturday, June 20.

All eyes will be on South Africa as the FIFA Confederations Cup kicks off two weeks of wall-to-wall coverage, beginning Sunday, June 14. Known as the Festival of Champions, this test event for the FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 will receive comprehensive coverage on CBC Television, CBCSports.ca and CBC’s digital channel, bold.

CBC Television will broadcast eight matches in their entirety, from June 14 to 28. Veteran CBC Sports journalist Brenda Irving will report from the Confederations Cup match in South Africa on Saturday, June 20 when the home-side Bafana Bafana takes on world No. 1 Spain, led by prolific goal scorer Fernando Torres. The featured match will be held in the newly re-furbished Free State Stadium in the city of Bloemfontein, one of the nine 2010 host cities. (Please see complete broadcast schedule below). CBC’s digital channel bold will also broadcast eight matches in their entirety, including four games live.

CBCSports.ca will feature streaming of all 16 matches in their entirety from the tournament, including eight games available exclusively on CBCSports.ca, as well as highlights from every match. Fans will be able to get expert analysis and commentary on the tournament from Nigel Reed and Jason De Vos, breaking news, match statistics, scores and more. Plus, CBCSports.ca’s Game Tracker gives fans a chance to interact and chat with CBC’s soccer experts during every game.

In addition to comprehensive international coverage, CBC’S SOCCER DAY IN CANADA takes the field on Saturday, June 20, at 12 noon ET, for a six-hour celebration of the inspirational ways soccer unites and strengthens communities across Canada. Host Scott Russell will present stories of Canada’s fastest growing sport, live from the Darlington Soccer Club Invitational tournament in Bowmanville, ON one of the oldest clubs in Canada. He will be joined by Canadian women’s national team members Kara Lang and Clare Rustad along with Jaime Peters, Canadian men’s national team member and star of England’s Ipswich Town FC.

Headlining the broadcast is the United Soccer League First Division matchup between the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Montreal Impact, at 1:30 pm ET, live from Saputo Stadium in Montreal. Nigel Reed will call the play-by-play, alongside analyst and former Canadian national team captain, Jason De Vos.

CBC’S SOCCER DAY IN CANADA will also feature the Vancouver Whitecaps at Montreal Impact game broadcast in Punjabi with play-by –play from Parminder Singh, while Tom Rajabzadeh will call the South Africa versus Spain matchup in Farsi on CBCSports.ca.

In addition to host location Bowmanville, ON throughout the day, CBC’S SOCCER DAY IN CANADA will present feature stories from across Canada and visit satellite locations where Canada’s passion for the sport will be on display.

• Stratford, PE – Kevin “Boomer” Gallant hosts from the grand opening of the P.E.I. Indoor Soccer Complex, the first indoor facility in the province.

• Toronto, ON – Jeff Marek will host at BMO Field as Head Coach Chris Cummins leads Toronto FC through the second annual open practice.

• Medicine Hat, AB – Doug Dirks broadcasts from the 16th Annual Fathers Day Tournament. This tournament comprises more than 40 teams from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Montana.

• Vancouver, BC – Karin Larsen report from the Empire Bowl 4th Annual More Sports World Mini Soccer Jam. Fifteen hundred children, ages five through 12, will participate from all over Vancouver.

In addition to watching CBC’s broadcast on Saturday, viewers can celebrate CBC’S SOCCER DAY IN CANADA by visiting Soccer Day In Canada and on Twitter to submit photos and stories describing what the beautiful game means to them and their communities. To follow along CBC’S SOCCER DAY IN CANADA stories on Twitter, fans can follow the hashtag: #soccerday. Soccer enthusiasts can also log on to CBCSports.ca/soccerday to view and bid on silent auction items. Proceeds from the auction will go to Right to Play.

FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP AND CBC’S SOCCER DAY IN CANADA 2009
(broadcast schedule subject to change)