HISTORY Sets Global Football Series

At NATPE Miami, A+E Networks introduced the upcoming 14-day, 24/7 global TV event History of Football, which will air on HISTORY in more than 160 countries.

History of Football will air from May 28 to June 10, ahead of the 2018 World Cup. David Villa, a World Cup winner, is the global press spokesperson for the series and was at NATPE Miami to help introduce the program.

History of Football will air in 160-plus countries, including in Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the U.K., as well as across Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Every major territory will present more than 40 hours of content, which will feature a blend of global and local programming.

As part of the 14-day programming event, HISTORY will present a slate of original, globally focused premium documentary series, as well as short-form specials, complemented by curated World Cup films. HISTORY channels around the world will also broadcast locally sourced TV series and documentaries that will offer a unique lens into each country’s particular passions for football. Supported by Villa and other established players, coaches, journalists and experts, History of Football will offer a deep exploration of the sport from multiple perspectives.

Social media extensions will include polls, Q&As with experts and discussions with local football brands. Original premium content will include History’s Greatest Moments in Football, Football Godfathers and Football’s Greatest: Head to Head.

Patrick Vien, A+E Networks International’s executive managing director, said, “We conceived History of Football as a deeply immersive television event capitalizing on one of those rare moments in our global culture, the World Cup, when a huge segment of the world population becomes so passionately connected. HISTORY’s world-class storytelling has produced and curated a unique combination of global and local programming, long-form and short-form, to give viewers a wide swath of football content that, all combined, will tell the many phenomenal stories that define the game. It’s the biggest international programming initiative HISTORY has undertaken and I could not be more proud of our team and to have David Villa as our partner.”

Dan Korn, the executive producer of History of Football and VP of programming for A+E UK, commented, “With opinions on football so strong among fans worldwide, HISTORY’s vast programming slate for this event will aim to engage and ignite an entertaining debate on exactly what were the ultimate historic moments of the sport, who stands as the best player in history, which coaches most shaped the game and so much more. For both the most intense and the more casual fans, HISTORY will present 14 days of nothing but the story of the game.”

Villa added: “As a passionate football player, I’ve been lucky enough to see first-hand how much football means to so many people and how it affects people’s lives. History of Football, told so comprehensively by such a well-loved and highly respected global brand as HISTORY, is a remarkable initiative. I am thrilled and honored to work with HISTORY on this fantastic television event, because it gives my fellow players, coaches, and myself, an opportunity to talk about what the game means to us and also to re-live so many incredible memories.”