ESPN, ESPN2 AND ABC SPORTS  - 2006 FIFA WORLD CUP SCHEDULE
ALL matches live; Simulcast live in high definition by ESPN HD,
ESPN2 HD and ABC HD; Nightly World Cup Live studio shows

ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports, in conjunction with Soccer United Marketing (SUM), will present live coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Friday, June 9 through Sunday, July 9 from Germany.
ESPN2 and ESPN will combine to present 52 matches – 31 on ESPN2 and 21 on ESPN.  ABC Sports will broadcast 12 matches including the title match Sunday, July 9 at 1:30 p.m. ET from Berlin’s Olympiastadion (preceded by a 30-minute pre-game show at 1 p.m.).

ALL MATCHES IN HD
For the first time, all 64 FIFA World Cup matches will be available in high definition on ESPN HD, ABC HD and ESPN2 HD.  The high definition telecasts will be offered as a simulcast of ESPN, ABC Sports and ESPN2’s World Cup coverage.

In addition, the high definition services will feature the studio programs including the pre-match, halftime and post-match shows.

WORLD CUP LIVE
During the World Cup, ESPN and ESPN2 will present World Cup Live – the daily news, highlights and analysis studio show for the quadrennial event.  Stand-alone editions of World Cup Live (32 episodes) will be aired on ESPN and ESPN2 generally between 12 midnight and 2 a.m. ET (9 – 11 p.m. PT) as part of ESPN’s “Trifecta” block of programming.  The late night shows – 29 on ESPN and three on ESPN2 – will include news updates as well as reviews and previews of World Cup action from Germany.

Additionally, ESPN2 will air 12 live editions of World Cup Live between matches on select days, June 9 through June19.
UNINTERRUPTED COVERAGE
To ensure uninterrupted coverage of the matches, the networks will not air commercials during the two 45-minute halves, similar to the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups and the 1999 and 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cups.  Commercials will be aired during the pre-match, halftime and post-match segments.  Additionally, the telecasts will feature the continuous score and clock ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports first introduced on American television during the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

HOST COUNTRY GERMANY TO OPEN COMPETITION
Coverage will begin on ESPN2/ESPN2 HD Friday, June 9 with the tournament’s opening match at 11:55 a.m. from the historic Munich Stadium, featuring the host country Germany versus Costa Rica, one of the four teams representing the CONCACAF region in the tournament.