Rob Stone to Host FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 on FOX

FOX Sports' lead soccer studio host Rob Stone has been officially tabbed as the prime-time studio host for the network's unprecedented coverage of FIFA Women's World Cup(TM) 2015 in Canada later this year. The announcement was made today by David Neal, executive producer for FOX Sports' FIFA Women's World Cup(TM) coverage.

"Rob is an exceptional studio host with a deep understanding of international soccer, so he is the perfect choice to anchor our Women's World Cup coverage in prime time," Neal said. "An event like this is similar to an Olympics, with many moving parts, and excellent hosts are smart, personable and have a little traffic cop inside them. Rob brings those attributes to the job every day."

Stone anchors FOX Sports' studio shows, including pregame, halftime and postgame coverage, and other FIFA Women's World Cup(TM) 2015 related programming throughout the month-long tournament from the network's state-of-the-art two-story studio on picturesque Coal Harbor in Vancouver. The former Division I soccer player, who joined Fox Sports from ESPN in January 2012, takes on the most high-profile assignment of his career to-date as the prime time studio host of this summer's Women's World Cup. Stone has hosted FOX Sports' coverage of the Premier League, UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE and other top soccer leagues in Europe, in addition to hosting COLLEGE FOOTBALL and college basketball studio programming. Stone is set to work with a team of Fox Sports soccer analysts to be announced at a later date.

"Covering a massive global tournament in this role is what few in our industry get the opportunity to do, and I am honored that Fox Sports has entrusted this responsibility to me," Stone said. "I passionately care about this sport and am excited to get started, especially following the excitement we saw during last summer's World Cup."

FOX Sports is planning the most expansive multi-platform coverage ever of the FIFA Women's World Cup(TM), including an unprecedented 16 matches airing live on FOX broadcast network when the tournament commences in Canada this June. Fox Sports televises all 52 games in the expanded tournament from six cities across Canada between June 6 and July 5, live on FOX; Fox Sports 1, America's fastest growing sports network; and Fox Sports 2. Digitally, all games are available on tablets and mobile devices via the Fox Sports GO app and online at www.FOXSportsGO.com. No broadcast network has ever televised 16 FIFA Women's or Men's World Cup matches, and the 2015 event marks the first time since 2003 that any FIFA Women's World Cup(TM) matches are scheduled for over-the-air broadcast in the U.S. Combining games with anticipated pregame, postgame and complementary programming, Fox Sports is expected to provide almost 200 hours of coverage from FIFA Women's World Cup 2015(TM). Coverage begins with reports in AMERICA'S PREGAME and Fox Sports LIVE, Thursday, June 4, a preview show on Friday, June 5 and Group Stage matches on Saturday, June 6.

Photo: Kevin Lynch/FOX Sports