MEDIA ADVISORY – Wales-Ukraine Match Programming Update:
Sunday’s Wales vs. Ukraine UEFA World Cup Qualifying Playoff Final Moved to ESPN
What: ESPN today announced it has moved the network presentation of Wales vs. Ukraine UEFA World Cup Qualifying Playoff Final to ESPN from ESPN2. The match will also stream live on ESPN+
Match Location: Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
Date/Time: Sunday, June 5 – Coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. ET (kick, 12 noon)
Match Commentators: Jon Champion (play-by-play) and analyst Taylor Twellman
Studio: Host Kay Murray, analysts Danny Higginbotham and Alejandro Moreno
Background: Ukraine’s national football team had not played a competitive match since the war began on February 20 until Wednesday, June 1, when they defeated Scotland 3-1 at Glasgow’s Hampden Park. A win in Cardiff on Sunday against Wales will earn Ukraine the last and final spot from Europe in the 2022 FIFA World Cup from November 21 – December 18 in Qatar, and a spot in Group B alongside England, Iran, and the USA.
Due to the war, Ukraine’s premier league was suspended indefinitely, forcing the national team players to train at Slovenia’s national soccer center in Predoslje, outside Ljubljana. The Ukraine national team has become an inspiration to a country under siege in war.
Additional coverage:
Leading up to the Ukraine’s UEFA World Cup Qualifying Playoff matches on Wednesday and this Sunday, ESPN journalists have been across Europe this covering the Ukraine football story.
- Senior writer Wright Thompsonreported from Kyiv, Ukraine, on the eve of Ukraine’s World Cup qualifying victory against Scotland
- Thompson interviewon ESPN’s Outside the Lines on how the national football team inspires Ukraine
- ESPN FCsenior writer Mark Ogden’s game report from Glasgow. Ogden is in Cardiff for the final on Sunday
- Global correspondent Sam Bordenwas in Glasgow and on the sidelines at Hampden Park covering the semifinals.
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