Sportsnet’s Road to Rio Coverage Continues with Two Jam-Packed Days of FIFA World Cup Qualifying Matches, Beginning Tomorrow

- Sportsnet will broadcast 18 UEFA matchups over March 22 and March 26, plus live streaming of Canada vs. Japan friendly on sportsnet.ca -

TORONTO (March 21, 2013) One beautiful game, two jam-packed days of coverage. Sportsnet, home to more than 250 qualifiers and friendlies leading up to 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, continues its must-see coverage of FIFA World Cup Qualifying with 18 UEFA matchups on Friday, March 22 and Tuesday, March 26. Additionally, fans can cheer on Team Canada as they take on Japan in an international friendly match, streamed live tomorrow (Friday, March 22) at Noon ET on sportsnet.ca.

Sportsnet’s action-packed FIFA World Cup Qualifying schedule kicks off with Israel vs. Portugal tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific, and available on  RogersAnyplaceTV.com. Sportsnet’s FIFA World Cup Qualifying coverage includes seven matches distributed nationally on Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE, three matches on Sportsnet World, and eight matches available on Sportsnet World Overflow channels*.  All matches will be available on Sportsnet World Online for live and on-demand streaming.

As the ultimate fan resource for all things 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, Sportsnet keeps fans connected to the Road to Rio 365 days a year with news, features, and highlights across television, digital, radio, and print platforms.

Below are the key details of Sportsnet’s extensive 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ multiplatform coverage:

Sportsnet -TV

• Soccer Central’s Gerry Dobson and Craig Forrest will be joined in studio by analyst Dick Howard to provide pre-game and intermission analysis throughout the course of the two days. James Sharman will helm the Road to Rio update desk throughout, providing highlights from the non-European matches

Digital – sportsnet.ca, Sportsnet World Online, RogersAnyPlaceTV.com

• SPORTSNET.CA
  • Exclusive streaming on sportsnet.ca of Canada vs. Japan in an international friendly, live from Qatar, Japan on Friday, March 22 at Noon ET/9 a.m. PT. Nigel Reed will call the play-by-play alongside colour commentator and sportsnet.ca soccer editor John Molinaro
  • sportsnet.cawill provide a preview of Friday’s top matches and highlights of all the key matches across Europe
  • Soccer editor Molinaro recaps the big stories and games on his blog, with full analysis and highlights
• Sportsnet World Online
  • All 17 matches with be available on Sportsnet World Online. Additionally, Sportsnet World Online provides sports fans with exclusive live and on-demand streaming of premium soccer, cricket, and rugby matches not available anywhere else
• Rogers Anyplace TV
  • Rogers digital television customers can live stream Sportsnet’s television coverage of World Cup Qualifiers on their computer with RogersAnyplaceTV.com

Radio – Sportsnet 590 The FAN and Sportsnet 960 The FAN

• The Soccer Show, a one-hour program hosted by Reed and Bob Iarusci on Sportsnet 590 The FAN , with recaps next week’s FIFA World Cup Qualifiers every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET

Print - Sportsnet magazine,

• The latest issue of Sportsnet, on newsstands now, features a look at the stories set to make headlines as the qualifiers roll on, including Nigeria’s soaring Super Eagles, the new generation of stars set to make waves, and renewed rivalries across the group stages

Broadcast Schedule

Friday, March 22

• Israel vs. Portugal, 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West, and Pacific)
• Croatia vs. Serbia, 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West, and Pacific)
• Spain vs. Finland, 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West, and Pacific)
• San Marino vs. England, 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT (Sportsnet ONE)
• Netherlands vs. Estonia, 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT (Sportsnet World)
• Czech Republic vs. Denmark, 3:30 p.m. ET/12:45 p.m. PT (Sportsnet World Overflow)
• Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Greece, 3:45 p.m. ET/12:45 p.m. PT (Sportsnet World Overflow)
• Northern Ireland vs. Russia, 3:45 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT (Sportsnet World Overflow)
• France vs. Georgia, 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT (Sportsnet World Overflow)

Tuesday, March 26

• Armenia vs. Czech Republic, 11:45 a.m./8:45 a.m. PT (Sportsnet World)
• Azerbaijan vs. Portugal, 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West, and Pacific)
• France vs. Spain, 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West, and Pacific)
• Montenegro vs. England, 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT (Sportsnet ONE)
• Netherlands vs. Romania, 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT (Sportsnet World)
• Malta vs. Italy, 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT (Sportsnet World Overflow)
• Serbia vs. Scotland, 3:30 p.m. PT/12:30 p.m. PT (Sportsnet World Overflow)
• Northern Ireland vs. Israel, 3:45 p.m. ET/12:45 p.m. PT (Sportsnet World Overflow)
• Germany vs. Kazakhstan, 3:45 p.m. ET/12:45 p.m. PT (Sportsnet World Overflow)

*Sportsnet World Overflow channels currently only available to Rogers Cable subscribers with a subscription to Sportsnet World

Social Media Links

Official Website, Sportsnet sportsnet.ca/

Like Sportsnet on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Sportsnet

Follow Gerry Dobson @SNGerryDobson

Follow Craig Forrest @craigforrest1

Follow Dick Howard @DickHoward

Follow James Sharman @jamessharman

Follow John Molinaro @JohnMolinaro

Follow Nigel Reed @Nigel_Reed

Follow Sportsnet: @Sportsnet

Follow Sportsnet PR: @SportsnetPR

About Sportsnet
Sportsnet connects Canadian sports fans to their favourite teams and athletes, using five platforms: TV, Radio, Print, Online and Mobile. Sportsnet is Fuelled By Fans, and delivers storytelling on a local, regional, national and global level. The multiplatform brand consists of Sportsnet, sportsnet.ca, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 960 The FAN, Sportsnet magazine, Sportsnet Mobile and the Hockey Central app on iPad and Playbook.  Sportsnet is the Canadian leader in NHL and MLB television broadcasts and is home to 162 Toronto Blue Jays games, plus MLB Playoffs and the World Series.  Sportsnet is an official licensed broadcaster of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil^TM and also offers an exciting sports lineup including the NFL, the Memorial Cup, Ultimate Fighting Championship^®,  Grand Slam of Curling, IndyCar, the Rogers Cup tennis tournament, and extensive soccer programming including Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC, CONCACAF and Canadian national team matches for men and women.  Connected is the network’s nightly news program, providing regional and national coverage of the day’s events in the world of sports.

Media Contacts:

Jennifer Neziol, jennifer.neziol@sportsnet.rogers.com, (w) 416.764.6361, (m) 416.275.9182

Sebastian Gatica, sebastian.gatica@sportsnet.rogers.com (w) 416.764.6368, (m) 416.710.9953

Jennifer Cram, jennifer.cram@sportsnet.rogers.com, (w) 416.764.6364, (m) 416.804.1683