BBC Sport will provide more terrestrial coverage of the UEFA Women’s European Football Championship than ever before when the 2013 edition takes place in Sweden from July 10-28.
Starting with a one-hour preview show on BBC Two on Monday, July 8, featuring exclusive access to the England squad and their coaching team in the build-up to the games, this year the BBC will have unprecedented coverage of the English Lionesses’ journey in the competition.
With games broadcast live on BBC Three and across a broad range of devices and platforms, fans will be able to watch every kick and pass as Hope Powell’s side attempt to set the Women’s Euro trophy on British soil for the first time.
Last week, Powell named her squad with defender Casey Stoney set to lead the team to Sweden.
Commenting on the BBC’s increased coverage, Powell said: “This is the most accessible that the Women’s European Championship has ever been which should hopefully bring a brand new audience to the women’s game”
“Last year, we saw the whole country get behind some incredible female Olympians, so this is the perfect opportunity for our squad to become sporting heroes to the growing number of female footballers across the country.”
The BBC’s coverage of the Women’s Euros will start with a one-hour preview, ‘Hope And Glory’ on BBC Radio 5 live, in addition to BBC Two’s preview in the latest edition of ‘The Women’s Football Show’ on July 8.
Once the tournament begins there will be 16 games shown live on the BBC, with 14 games of those on BBC Three and two on BBC Two & BBC Two HD, including the final on July 28.
BBC TV’s coverage of the tournament itself will be led by Jacqui Oatley, an established member of the BBC football team on both TV and radio.
Alongside Oatley there will be a wealth of footballing experience in the studio and pitch-side in Sweden.
Faye White and Sue Smith, both of whom have played over 90 times for the national side and whose careers began in the mid 1990’s when the Women’s game in the UK was in its infancy, will be part of the BBC punditry team, as will German World Cup winner Ariane Hingst.
Also confirmed on the presenting team are Sally Nugent, a familiar face on the BBC Breakfast sofa, and Tina Daheley, who currently broadcasts the news and sport every morning on the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show alongside Nick Grimshaw.
Guy Mowbray and Lucy Ward will lead the BBC’s commentary team in Sweden. Details of the full commentary and reporting line-ups will be confirmed shortly.
All live matches will be streamed across BBC Sport’s vast number of digital platforms – desktop, tablet, mobile, Sport App & Connected TV and streamed in High Definition on the BBC Red Button HD Channel.
Across all digital platforms, there will be on demand AV previews, features, pre and post-match interviews, highlights packages and analysis, bringing the audience closer to the Championship than ever before.
BBC Director of Sport, Barbara Slater, commented: “We are delighted to provide cross-platform coverage of this summer’s European Championship as well as women’s football in general as the sport continues to grow in popularity.
“With the tournament being broadcast on BBC Three we want to build on the momentum of London 2012 by making women’s football available to new audiences.
“The Women’s Euros joins an impressive BBC Sport football portfolio that includes the Premier League on Match Of The Day and 5 live, the Football League, this summer’s Confederations Cup and next year’s World Cup.
Zai Bennett, Controller, BBC Three, added: “I’m really proud to have the Women’s Euros on BBC Three, continuing our commitment to women’s football which proved such a hit on the channel during the Olympics last year.”
Sunset+Vine will be responsible for producing BBC Sport’s live TV coverage of the tournament.
British Eurosport will also be covering UEFA Women’s Euro 2013. The pan-European broadcaster will be screening every match live across its two channels, details of which will follow soon.
LIVE: 7.00pm-9.30pm BBC Three (incl. highlights of Italy v Finland) Thursday 11 July GERMANY v NETHERLANDS LIVE: 7.00pm-9.30pm BBC Three (incl. highlights of Norway v Iceland) Friday 12th July ENGLAND v SPAIN LIVE: 7.00pm-9.30pm BBC Three (incl. highlights of France v Russia) Saturday 13th July SWEDEN v FINLAND LIVE: 7.00pm-9.30pm BBC Three (incl. highlights of Denmark v Italy) Sunday 14th July ICELAND v GERMANY LIVE: 7.00pm-9.30pm BBC Three (incl. highlights of Holland v Norway) Monday 15th July ENGLAND v RUSSIA LIVE: 4.30pm-6.30pm BBC Two SPAIN v FRANCE LIVE: 7.00pm-9.30pm BBC Three Tuesday 16th July DENMARK v FINLAND or SWEDEN v ITALY LIVE: 7.00pm-9.30pm BBC Three (other match live on Red Button) Wednesday 17th July NETHERLANDS v ICELAND & GERMANY v NORWAY Highlights: 7.00pm-8.00pm BBC Three Thursday 18th July FRANCE v ENGLAND LIVE: 7.00pm-9.45pm BBC Three RUSSIA v SPAIN LIVE: 7.25pm-9.30pm BBC Red Button KNOCKOUT STAGES Sunday 21st July QUARTER FINAL 1 – Winner Group A v 3rd Place Group B or C If featuring England, QF1 will be shown live on BBC Two QUARTER FINAL 4 – Runner-up Group A v Runner-up Group B Highlights: BBC Three Monday 22nd July QUARTER FINAL 2 – Winner Group B v Runner-up Group C If featuring England, will be shown live on BBC Two QUARTER FINAL 3 – Winner Group C v 3rd Place Group A or B LIVE: 7.00pm-9.45pm BBC Three Wednesday 24th July Semi-Final 1 – Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 4 LIVE: 7.00pm-9.45pm BBC Three Thursday 25th July SEMI FINAL 2 – Winner QF 2 v Winner QF 3 LIVE: 7.00pm-9.45pm BBC Three Sunday 28th July
UEFA Women’s Euro 2013 Final LIVE: 2.30pm-5.00pm BBC Two Highlights: 7.00pm-8.00pm BBC Three