ESPN HD will also be available to viewers throughout the promotional weekend, where available.
Among the highlights over the weekend, ESPN will be bringing live coverage from two huge Serie A matches as Juventus take on Roma at 7:45pm on Saturday January 23, followed on Sunday January 24 with the Milan derby at 7:15pm, with a chance to catch David Beckham back in action on Italian soil against Jose Mourinho’s men.
From the other side of the world, fans have the chance to see all the drama from another of the most proudly contested derbies on the planet, as Argentinean arch rivals Boca Juniors meet River Plate in the Torneos de Verano at midnight on Sunday January 24.
Live action from the same tournament kicks off 24 hours earlier at midnight on Saturday January 23 as Independiente host Racing Club.
Other live football on offer over the weekend includes Motherwell v St. Mirren from the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, Freiburg v Stuttgart, Dortmund v Hamburg, Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich & Hoffenheim v Bayer Leverkusen from the Bundesliga and Ajax v AZ Alkmaar from the Dutch Eredivise.
Elsewhere, NBA fans can witness Los Angeles Lakers take on the New York Knicks live at 1am on Saturday, or catch a replay later that day at 3:30pm.
Hockey fans will find NHL action early on Sunday when ESPN will feature live coverage of the Los Angeles Kings taking to the ice against the Detroit Red Wings from 6am.
While fans of the hugely popular Ultimate Fighting Championship will have free access to UFC Unleashed at 10pm on Friday night, followed by ESPN’s exclusive, original mixed martial arts review show at 11pm, MMA Live.
Jeroen Oerlemans, vice president channels, ESPN - Europe, Middle East and Africa said: “It’s only fair once in a while to give people a chance to see just what they’re missing.
"This weekend, nowhere else on a single UK television channel will sports fans be able to find such a wide range of top flight sporting action from across the globe, featuring some of football’s fiercest rivalries.”
For full scheduling information on all of the above fixtures, visit www.espn.co.uk.
ESPN’s weekend promotion begins at 6am on Friday January 22 and will revert to subscribers only at 6am on Monday January 25.
Digital TV customers with Sky, Virgin, BT Vision Top Up TV, TalkTalk TV and Chorus ntl wishing to continue receiving access to the channel should visit www.espn.co.uk/tv or call 0844 257 7442.
ESPN is available on the following channel numbers:
Sky: ESPN (channel 417), ESPN HD (channel 442)
Virgin Media: ESPN (channel 529), ESPN HD (channel 530)
BT Vision: ESPN (channel 34)
Top UP TV: ESPN (channel 34)
TalkTalk TV: ESPN (channel 555)
Chorus ntl (in Ireland:) ESPN (channel 407)
