NBC Universo to Air FIFA BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP PORTUGAL This July

NBC UNIVERSO, Telemundo and NBC Deportes, the official broadcasters for Spanish-language of the FIFA World Cup™ in the U.S. across all platforms, today announced that they will feature comprehensive FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015coverage July 9 through July 19, and showcase exclusive content via country and player profiles, behind-the-scenes footage, pre-match analyses and much more with a distinctive Latin flavor that Hispanic soccer fans will appreciate.

All 32 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015 matches for the first time will be aired in Spanish-language to a nationwide U.S. audience across all screens including online and mobile live-streams. NBC UNIVERSO will air live 28 matches and re-air seven, which includes all group stage and quarterfinal matches. Telemundo will broadcast live four matches that include the semi-finals, third place and final matches. NBCDeportes.com will live stream all 32 matches of the tournament, which will also be available on NBCDeportes.com and the NBC Deportes EN VIVO EXTRA mobile app. In addition, fans will be able to access all of the hot beach soccer action via VOD, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. This extensive coverage is part of the commitment by NBC UNIVERSO, Telemundo and NBC Deportes to deliver an unprecedented 560 hours - including 344 hours of online and mobile live-streams, of coverage for all four 2015 FIFA World Cup Event: FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand, FIFA Women's World Cup Canada, FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal, and the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile.

Providing narration and commentary for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015 include Copán Álvarez, a seasoned sportscaster who has covered the FIFA World Cup™ in South AFRICA in 2010 and in Brazil in 2014; and Karim Mendiburu, a Mexican-born presenter who also reports some of the most fascinating stories from the world of sports including World Cup events, Super Bowls and Olympics. The team will also include Guadalupe (Guad) Venegas and Ana Jurka from NBC UNIVERSO's sports show, "Escena Deportiva."

TEAMS & SCHEDULE

The combined number of five Central American and South American countries competing in this year's tournament equal the number of European nations competing. The 16 teams total participating in this year's event are: Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Iran, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Mexico, Oman, Paraguay, Portugal, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Switzerland, Tahiti. The group stage match schedule on NBC UNIVERSO will be as follows:

Thurs., July 9:

• Italy vs. Costa Rica at 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT
• Portugal vs. Japan at 9:00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. PT
• Argentina vs. Senegal at 10:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. PT
• Switzerland vs. Oman at noon ET / 9:00 a.m. PT

Fri., July 10:

• Spain vs. Iran at 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT
• Russia vs. Paraguay at 9:00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. PT
• Tahiti vs. Madagascar at 10:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. PT
• Brazil vs. Mexico at noon ET / 9:00 a.m. PT

Sat., July 11:

• Oman vs. Italy at 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT
• Senegal vs. Portugal at 9:00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. PT
• Japan vs. Argentina at 10:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. PT
• Costa Rica vs. Switzerland at noon. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT

Sun., July 12:

• Mexico vs. Spain at 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT
• Madagascar vs. Russia at 9:00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. PT
• Paraguay vs. Tahiti at 10:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. PT
• Iran vs. Brazil at noon ET / 9:00 a.m. PT

Mon., July 13:

• Oman vs. Costa Rica at 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT
• Portugal vs. Argentina at 9:00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. PT
• Japan vs. Senegal at 10:30 a.m. ET / 7:30a.m. PT
• Switzerland vs. Italy at noon ET / 9:00 a.m. PT

Tues., July 14:

• Mexico vs. Iran at 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT
• Russia vs. Tahiti at 9:00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. PT
• Paraguay vs. Madagascar at 10:30 a.m. ET / 7:30a.m. PT
• Brazil vs. Spain at noon ET / 9:00 a.m. PT

NBC UNIVERSO will also air the quarterfinal games on Thurs., July 16, and the semifinals on Sat., July 18. Telemundo will air the third-place game and final match on Sun., July 19.

BEACH SOCCER PRIMER

Since the first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in 2005, 33 nations have played in at least one tournament. But only Brazil, France and Russia have every won the championship. Beach soccer's roots are deeply steeped in the diverse Latin culture, with its first games traced back more than 30 years to the sands of Brazil. Other Latin American nations that have competed in the tournament or have advanced to at least the semifinals are: Mexico (2nd place), Uruguay (2nd, 3rd and 4th place), El Salvador (4th place), and Venezuela (has not advanced).

Beach soccer lends itself to more dynamic plays than grass soccer including aerobatic dribbles, bicycle kicks, headers and goals...lots of goals. A match must be either won or lost, but never drawn. On average, a goal is scored every three minutes during a beach soccer match. In addition to the rapid scoring, soccer fans tuning-in for the first time to watch FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015™ on NBC UNIVERSO, Telemundo or NBCDeportes.com will see other noticeable differences between this game and the game played on grass. While it is obvious that beach soccer is played in the sand, it is also played on a notably smaller playing area (32 m x 22.86 m). The matches are three 12-minute periods. Because a soccer ball tends not to roll in the sand, the most successful teams are the ones that keep the ball in the air. There are only five players on the field for each team, its roster is a maximum of 12 players, and shoes are not allowed while playing - players are either barefoot or wear sand socks to protect themselves from the hot sand. Also, there are no offsides.

For more information, please visit www.nbcdeportes.com.

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