FOX Sports announced its semifinal broadcast teams and expanded studio programming for the hugely anticipated USA vs. Argentina semifinal of the 2016 Copa America Centenario, originating live from NRG Stadium in Houston.
Renowned play-by-play announcer JP Dellacamera calls the action with U.S. National Team all-time leading scorer and LA Galaxy legend Landon Donovan providing analysis and Jenny Taft reporting.
The semifinals kick off Tuesday, June 21, as a surging United States team, winners of three straight matches and the only team representing CONCACAF in the semifinals, battles five-time world player of the year Lionel Messi and world No. 1-ranked Argentina live on FS1.
FS1 kicks off the night with an expanded two-hour pregame show airing live from Houston, with coverage beginning at 7:00 PM ET on FS1.
Rob Stone hosts pre-match, halftime and post-match coverage alongside Alexi Lalas, Fernando Fiore, Aly Wagner and Stu Holden live from NRG Stadium. Later, Fiore hosts a 60-minute edition of COPA TONIGHT at 1:00 AM ET from Houston, joined by Lalas, Wagner and Holden.
The semifinals continue Wednesday, June 22, as James Rodriguez’s Colombia, the only team to beat the U.S. this tournament, faces defending champions and No. 5-ranked Chile, fresh off a 7-0 destruction of Mexico. Coverage begins at 7:00 PM ET on FS1 with John Strong and Brad Friedel on the call, joined by Francisco X. Rivera on the sideline. COPA TONIGHT recaps the day’s action and looks ahead to the final and third-place matches at 1:00 AM ET.
Grant Wahl continues his role as correspondent-at-large, and Dr. Joe Machnik provides expert analysis on key refereeing decisions.
Broadcaster assignments for the third-place match and final, one of which is guaranteed to feature the U.S. Men’s National Team, are to be announced at a later date.
The 2016 Copa America has produced four of the top five men’s soccer ratings in FS1 history, with viewership for the four U.S. matches growing throughout the tournament. The United States’ 2-0 loss to Colombia delivered 1.536 million viewers on June 3; then on June 7, 1.6 million viewers tuned in to see the United States’ crucial 4-0 win over Costa Rica. The third match, in which the Americans clinched a spot in the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over Paraguay on June 11, averaged 2.061 million viewers. The current record for the most-watched men’s soccer match in FS1 history was set June 16 in the Americans’ 1-0 quarterfinal win over Ecuador, a match seen by 2.132 million viewers.
FOX Sports televises all 32 matches of what is the biggest, most prestigious men’s soccer tournament hosted on American soil since the 1994 FIFA World Cup, live from 10 nationwide venues from June 3 to June 26. FS1 is scheduled to carry 21 matches, with four airing on the FOX broadcast network. FX, FOX’s widely distributed general entertainment channel, is slated to televise two quarterfinal matches and the Third Place match, with four group stage games appearing on FS2. Every contest is available on recently updated FOX Sports GO and FOX Soccer 2Go mobile apps and on desktop computers via FOXSportsGO.com.
