Country of origin Canada Original network Sportsnet Network Sportsnet | Running time 30min. or
60min. First episode date 17 August 2012 | |
Starring Brendan Dunlop and James Sharman Original release August 17, 2012 – Present Similar The Premiership, Soccer Made in Germany, Fox Soccer Report, Fox Football Fone‑in, Monday Night Football | ||
Soccer Central is a soccer news program broadcast by the Canadian sports channel Sportsnet. The program was first introduced on August 17, 2012 as Fox Soccer News; at the time, the program was shared with the U.S. channel Fox Soccer as a replacement for the Fox Soccer Report (which was produced out of Winnipeg by the now-defunct Canadian channel Fox Sports World Canada in a similar arrangement).
With the launch of Fox Sports 1, Fox Soccer News was replaced in the United States by the in-house Fox Soccer Daily on August 19, 2013. Consequently, Fox Soccer News was re-branded as Soccer Central (the original name of Sportsnet's soccer pre-game show, which had been renamed Soccer Central Matchday).
The show is aired as a half an hour show from Monday through Friday (Monday-Thursday known as Soccer Central and Friday known as The Soccer Central Roundtable) and an hour show (Soccer Central Weekend Review) on Sunday.
Anchors
The program had 2 co-anchors each night, rotating among Brendan Dunlop, James Sharman (both of whom previously hosted soccer-related programs on The Score before its purchase by Rogers), Ben Ennis and Sarah Davis. Regularly appearing analysts include former Scottish amateur footballer Bobby McMahon, retired English footballer Danny Dichio, Dutch soccer coach Thomas Rongen, and former professional soccer player Lloyd Barker. Guest hosts have included Brad Fay and Gene Principe.
Upon its re-formatting as Soccer Central, Dunlop and Sharmen both do 2-3 solo shows, and co-anchor the Sunday Weekend Review show.