ESPN+ will be the exclusive home for Spain’s premier domestic soccer cup competition, the Copa Del Rey, as part of a new multi-year agreement with the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
ESPN+ will feature up to 65 matches per season, including matches featuring the biggest teams in Spanish soccer and the Copa del Rey Final – one of European soccer’s most prestigious sporting events. Many of the matches will be available to fans with both English and Spanish language commentary options. The industry-leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service will begin coverage of Copa del Rey immediately, with the first matches streaming live to millions of subscribers as the tournament’s second round begins this Saturday (Jan. 11).
Russell Wolff, EVP, and general manager, ESPN+ added: “Copa del Rey is among the most storied and exciting soccer tournaments in the world, featuring electrifying players and teams. This agreement is a further reflection of ESPN+’s position as a must-have home for world-class soccer in the U.S. and we are thrilled to offer coverage to fans in both English and Spanish.”
The Copa del Rey final will take place April 18 with the winner qualifying for both the UEFA Europa League and the Spanish Supercopa. Last season, Valencia claimed their eighth title with a dramatic victory over former champions Barcelona FC.
The Copa del Rey joins an unmatched lineup of approximately 2,000 annual soccer matches on ESPN+, including the English FA Cup, Carabao Cup and EFL, Italian Serie A, Germany’s Bundesliga (beginning 2020), Dutch Eredivise, Major League Soccer (MLS), UEFA Nations League and more.
The Spanish soccer competitions also join a growing lineup of live sports events offered to ESPN+ subscribers with their choice of Spanish or English commentary – including dozens of soccer and MLB games, boxing and UFC events, and more each month.