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The World Cup in Brazil is only about three months away, and though you won’t see the action this year on Fox, the network will broadcast the next two World Cups here in the U.S. and is jumping into the fray to make its footy presence felt.
On Wednesday, the network announced a six-part documentary series from Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Scott Boggins and Gabriel Spitzer called Rise As One, which explores defining moments in soccer history and the way the sport has transcended political and social barriers throughout time.
The series, which will air in more than 55 countries, is sponsored by Budweiser. The beer giant has had an official sponsorship with FIFA World Cup for more than 25 years. The first installment of Rise As One debuts in the U.S. on March 25th on Fox Sports 1.
“The passion and dedication that unites footballers and fans worldwide is unrivaled, incredibly inspiring, and we are thrilled to partner with Budweiser to help tell these stories,” says Fox Sports Senior VP of Original Programming Michael Bloom, in a statement.
The Fox Sports Originals series features six different 30-minute documentaries that tell stories of soccer’s redemptive power. “Power of Unity” explores the Japanese women’s team’s run to the World Cup championship just months after the 2011 tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster. “World War Truce” tells of a secret cease-fire by German and British soldiers to hold a friendly soccer game during World War I. “Match For Peace” details an exhibition match between Brazil and Haiti. “Breaking Barriers” delves into the U.S. and Iran’s 1998 World Cup match, held during volatile political tensions. “One Nation” is about the French Men’s national team at the 1998 World Cup and “Forever Heroes” tells of the resilience of the Zambia national team 20 years after a devastating plane crash killed all but three members of the team.
The series features interviews with stars including Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldo and French World Cup champion Lilian Thuram, among others.
Budweiser will also debut two of the upcoming documentaries at next month’s “Kickings + Screening Film Festival” in New York City.
Boggins and Spitzer have strong pedigrees in sports television, having produced HBO’s acclaimed 24/7 series and a number of boxing documentaries. Boggan also produced the Fox Sports documentary Being Liverpool. Spitzer’s most recent credit was UFC Primetime: St-Pierre vs. Hendricks which aired on FX.
The World Cup begins June 12 and airs on ABC, ESPN and Univision in the U.S. In 2011, Fox won broadcast rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups for a reported $400 million. Spanish-language network Telemundo, owned by Comcast/NBC, also acquired broadcast rights for the next two tournaments for a reported $600 million.
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