Premier Sports has picked up the UK rights to broadcast live and exclusive coverage of the 44th edition of the Copa América in Chile this summer.
The tournament featuring 10 teams from South America’s CONMEBOL along with 2 guest nations from CONCACAF will compete in 3 Groups across 9 venues to determine the best team on the continent with games taking place between June 11 and July 4.
All 26 matches throughout the competition, including the group phase, knockout stages and the final itself in Santiago will be shown live only on Premier Sports, available on Sky, Virgin Media and TalkTalk TV platforms, as well as online via Premier Player.
This year’s competition features an A-list of world superstars. Lionel Messi, now considered by most to be the world’s greatest ever will star for Argentina, Neymar leads a rejuvenated Brazil, James Rodriquez is looking to continue his World Cup form for Columbia alongside Falcao and Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez carries the hopes and dreams of the host nation Chile.
There will also be plenty of interest in the UK based players set to feature in the tournament.
Brazil, who under new manager Dunga face a repeat of their ill-tempered World Cup quarter-final against Columbia, have selected Chelsea’s Filipe Luis and Willian, Manchester City’s Fernandinho and Liverpool’s standout attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho.
Last year’s beaten World Cup finalist’s Argentina have selected their preliminary 30 man squad that includes Manchester City’s goal machine Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta and Martin Demichelis, Manchester United’s Angel Di Maria and Marcos Rojo plus Tottenham’s Erik Lamela.
Outside the tournament favourites, the Premier League influence continues. Chile will have Arsenal in-form striker Alexis Sanchez, QPR’s Mauricio Isla and Eduardo Vargas.
Uruguay are expected to call-up the Hull pairing of Gaston Ramirez and Abel Hernandez in addition to Sunderland’s Sebastian Coates. Manchester United’s Radamel Falcao will captain a Colombian squad including Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Ospina, Aston Villa’s Carlos Sanchez and Chelsea’s Juan Cuadrado.
Elsewhere, Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia has been called-up for Ecuador alongside West Ham forward Enner Valencia and Swansea City’s Jefferson Montero.
Jamaica, who alongside Mexico, are invited as guests of the 10 South American teams have a number of UK based players. Crystal Palace’s Adrian Mariappa, Leicester City’s Wes Morgan and Leeds United’s Rodolph Austin are expected to make the tournament squad.
Commenting on his channel’s exclusive UK TV deal for the tournament, Richard Sweeney, General Manager of Premier Sports, said: “The Copa América is the biggest international football event this year and the only competitive tournament of the summer.
“Following on from the unforgettable excitement and drama of the World Cup it is fantastic we again have a chance to witness the likes of Messi and Neymar leading an all-star cast on South American soil.”
Previous editions of South America’s most prestigious international football competition have been broadcast in the UK by Sky Sports and ESPN, with the latter having screened the 2013 event shortly before the launch of BT Sport.
Coverage of the 2015 tournament via Premier Sports will be available via Sky channel 428, Virgin 551, TalkTalk 526 and in HD via the Premier Player online. For more information and to subscribe visit www.premiersports.tv.
In a special offer to viewers with Sky customers can take up a two month subscription to Premier Sports for only £9.99 with no connection fee, which will give them all 26 games from the Copa America and a host of other content.
Use promo code: COPAPREMIER11 on our susbcription page via this website or call 0871 663 9000 and quote the code.
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