DIRECTV Revolutionizes Entertainment and Confirms the Complete Broadcast of the Next FiFA World Cup in 4K Ultra HD for Latin America

The satellite pay-TV operator becomes a pioneer in 4K UHD resolution sports broadcasts in in the region* and demonstrates its leadership in sports content with unique and superior coverage of the most important international football event. The broadcast of 64 matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ is now also available with the best image and sound that currently exists in the market.

DIRECTV has always been at the forefront of technology and innovation, and for every FIFA World Cup™ since 1998 it has surprised with innovation. Next year will be no exception as the satellite pay-TV operator will offer for the first time all 64 matches of the football championship in 4K Ultra High Definition (UDH) resolution in Latin America.*

“At DIRECTV we continue to revolutionize the industry by offering Latin American consumers leading edge developments. This time we provide the full broadcast of the FIFA World Cup™ in 4K Ultra HD resolution, available for access at home. By delivering the first World Cup produced entirely with this technology, we remain committed to delivering the best entertainment experience,” said Rick Nerod, SVP Content of DIRECTV Latin America.

“FIFA has a well-established track record of promoting the best technology for the FIFA World Cup™. For the benefit of all the fans of the world, next year won’t be different. With 4K UHD technology, you can watch the games in as much detail as possible,” said Florin Mitu, Head of Host Broadcast Production, FIFA TV. “Latin Americans are well known in the world for the passion of how they live football. So we are very excited to give you the best possibilities, technically speaking, to fuel your enthusiasm. Fans are the center of the universe for us and we always strive to give them the best.”

This broadcast will allow access to a resolution up to four times higher than the HD format, that is, greater image clarity that will surprise. In addition, DIRECTV will also offer HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology, which delivers an image with more vibrant colors, including darker and brighter blacks, and greater sharpness. The next FIFA World Cup™ will be broadcast in Ultra HD and some of the matches will also be produced in HDR.

In order to offer the next FIFA World Cup™ in 4K UHD, DIRECTV relies on a solid technological infrastructure. The signal that the pay-TV operator will receive via fiber optic cable directly from Moscow, Russia, will be processed and uploaded in the Broadcast Centers of the pay-TV operator to its satellite (DLA-1), which has the technology that can broadcast in  4K UDH resolution directly to consumers’ homes.

How can you see the next FIFA World Cup Russia 2018™ on DIRECTV in 4K Ultra HD? You will need to be a subscriber of the satellite pay-TV operator, have the new 4K decoder that the company will launch in 2018, as well as a TV that has the corresponding characteristics to watch programming with this resolution. DIRECTV will announce in the coming months when the new decoder will be available in the market and all the information related to this new offer.

DIRECTV once again demonstrates its leadership in sports content by providing unique and superior coverage of the most prominent international football event with the broadcasting of all matches for the TV screen in both HD and 4K UHD, as well as the availability of matches on online platforms through the DIRECTV Sports App, DIRECTVSports.com and DIRECTV Play.

DIRECTV in the World Cups

DIRECTV is a leader in sports content and for every FIFA World Cup™ it makes great efforts to deliver the most complete coverage and a unique experience to its subscribers. Since the 1998 FIFA World Cup France™, DIRECTV has always delivered innovation and this time will be no different.

• FIFA World Cup France 1998™: all matches were available in seven languages.
• FIFA World Cup Korea Japan 2002™: debut of the multi-camera system broadcasting.
• FIFA World Cup Germany 2006™: the first to offer all matches in the 16:9 widescreen format.
• FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010™: the first to offer 64 games in high definition.
• FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014™: 64 games on TV in HD and on computers, smartphones and tablets via online platforms.
• FIFA World Cup Russia 2018™: 64 games on HD TV and 4K UHD and on computers, smartphones and tablets via their online platforms.

DIRECTV always at the forefront of technology

DIRECTV has positioned itself as a technology benchmark in the entertainment industry with more than two decades of innovation; the first Satellite Company to offer 100% digital TV, the most advanced DVR, pioneers in HD transmission and a product that offers a unique and interactive user experience.

*DIRECTV's 4K UHD broadcast will be available in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay. DIRECTV will broadcast 56 games live and 8 deferred matches. These 8 matches correspond to the last matches of the first phase, when each of the eight groups play their two matches simultaneously.

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