Hunt, Arendse get their Russian hats on

Traditionally a dry run ahead of the World Cup, the Confederations Cup has developed its own history through the years. Indeed, as the 10^th edition approaches, one of its quirks is that no team that has won the Confederations Cup has gone on to win the World Cup a year later.

Ironically, defending champions Brazil haven’t qualified for the eight-team tournament, which sees hosts Russia joined by the six winners of the FIFA confederation championships plus World Cup champions, Germany.

The other six are Cameroon, Australia, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand and Portugal.

The matches will be played in four different venues across four major Russian cities: Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Kazan and Sochi.

In the group stage, starting this weekend, each team will play three games in a group of four, with the winners and runners-up from each group advancing to the knockouts. In the next stage, matches will be on a straight knockout basis, played as semifinals, and ending with the final match on July 2.

Former Portuguese international and Champions League winner Vítor Baía will be in the SuperSport studio alongside the like of Matthew Booth, Gavin Hunt, Andre Arendse and Amanda Dlamini.

Apart from broadcasting all 16 matches live, SuperSport will have hour-long build-ups for each game with live crossings to venues.

There will be four language options for viewers: English, Portuguese, isiZulu and Sotho.

The broadcast package will include a magazine show at 10am on SS3 on Saturday mornings – From Russia With Love – fronted by SA’s diamond girl, Minnie Dlamini.

Current programming includes:

• Matches from Cameroon's Afcon 2017 success which enabled them to qualify for this Confederations Cup.
• Matches from Portugal’s Euro 2016 win which enabled them to qualify for the Confederations Cup.
• Matches from Germany's 2014 World Cup win which qualified them for the Confederations Cup.
• Confederations Cup Finals from 2005, 2009 and 2013.
• A documentary - The Story of the FIFA Confederations Cup - which looks back at all the Confed tournaments from inception in 1992 to the last in 2013.

 
BROADCAST SCHEDULE – all live on SuperSport 3
Saturday 17 June: Russia v New Zealand, 5pm.
Sunday 18 June: Portugal v Mexico, 5pm; Cameroon v Chile, 8pm.
Monday 19 June: Australia v Germany, 5pm.
Wednesday 21: Russia v Portugal, 5pm; Mexico v New Zealand, 8pm.
Thursday 22 June: Cameroon v Australia, 5pm; Germany v Chile, 8pm.
Saturday 24 June: New Zealand v Portugal, 5pm; Mexico v Russia, 5pm.
Sunday 25 June: Chile v Australia, 5pm; Germany V Cameroon, 5pm.
Wednesday 28 June: Semifinal 1, 8pm.
Thursday 29 June: Semifinal 2, 8pm.
Sunday July 2: Third place playoff, 1pm.
Sunday July 2: Final, 7pm.