WALES BOOST
S4C contract
FANS across Wales will be able to follow the national football team’s quest to reach the World Cup following a deal to show matches on free-toair television.
Live coverage of Wales’ competitive internationals have aired exclusively on Sky Sports since 2004.
But S4C has announced a deal with Sky to show this month’s crunch clash against Ireland free of charge, along with all its remaining Group D matches.
Sue Butler, S4C’s sports commissioner, said: “We are delighted to offer the only live free-to-air coverage of Wales’ 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
“Chris Coleman’s team captivated us at Euro 2016 and it’s great to be back with the Wales team following all the action and drama live on S4C.”
All the team’s matches at the Euro 2016 tournament in France were shown on S4C, with English language coverage shared between the BBC and ITV.
Under the new deal, the Welsh-language coverage will be produced by Caernarfon-based Rondo Media, with Sky continuing to show Wales’ matches in English.
Rondo is already responsible for putting together the channel’s football portfolio, which includes international highlights and live matches from the Welsh Premier League and Welsh Cup.
Dylan Ebenezer will anchor the coverage, with former Ysgol Maes Garmon, Mold, pupil Nic Parry and former Wales striker Malcolm Allen, of Deiniolen, in the commentary box.
Ex- i n ternat i o na l s Owain Tudur Jones, who was born in Bangor, and Wrexham legend Dai Davies, of Llangollen, will provide the analysis.
The matches begin with the clash in Dublin on Friday March 24, followed by Serbia away on June 11, Austria in Cardiff on September 2, and the trip to Moldova on September 5.
Finally, there are fixtures in Georgia on October 6 and the home return against the Republic of Ireland on October 9.