Sky Sports has lost the rights to Masters Football (Image: Getty Images)
Sky Sports has been stripped of its rights to major football tournaments for the first time in 26 years, with TNT suddenly emerging as the winner of Masters Football. The competition, which was last broadcast in 2011 and has been broadcast on Sky since 2000, is set to return, with teams Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Ajax competing in a one-day six-a-side tournament on May 31st.
The event will be held at OVO Arena Wembley. Chelsea, Liverpool, Ajax and Real Madrid have all been confirmed, with Claude Makelele and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink also included in the Stamford Bridge squad. Liverpool will bring in former Birmingham City star Jermaine Pennant, as well as former West Bromwich Albion striker Andy Carroll, ex-Southampton player Ricky Lambert and Finnish legend Jari Litmanen. Carroll is currently unemployed after leaving KSI-backed Dagenham and Redbridge, where he was interim head coach.
Ajax will use Siem de Jong, former Arsenal favorite Nwankwo Kanu and Gregory van der Wiel. Real Madrid’s squad includes former Bolton Wanderers midfielders Ivan Campo, Javi Balboa and Ruben de la Red, as well as former Chelsea star Geremi, ex-Liverpool midfielder Antonio Nunez and ex-Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo.
Masters matches last 14 minutes and rolling substitutions are allowed. As is customary in this format, the edges of the pitch are marked with boards, creating a cage-like setup.
Matches will be played in a round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the finals. The last edition was in 2011, when Rangers defeated Leeds United in the final.
Past lineup
Chelsea: 23. Carlo Cudicini, 29. Robert Huth, 3. Frank Sinclair, 20. Jody Morris, 15. Mario Melchiotto, 4. Claude Makelele, 9. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, 18. Loïc Remy
Liverpool: 1. Sander Westerveld, 34. Martin Kelly, 38. John Flanagan, 19. Stewart Downing, 16. Jermaine Pennant, 37. Jari Litmanen, 7. Ricky Lambert, 9. Andy Carroll. 3. Paul Konchesky
Ajax: 1. Maarten Stekelenburg, 20. Demi de Zeeuw, 13. Ricardo van Rijn, 23. Hedwige Maduro, 6. Aaron Winter, 10. Siem de Jong, 2. Gregory van der Wiel, 9. Nwankwo Kanu
Real Madrid: 1. Pedro Contreras Gonzalez, 30. Raul Bravo, 12. Iván Campo, 24. Javi Balboa, 27. Rubén de la Red, 15. Geremi, 27. Antonio Nuñez, 9. Alvaro Negredo.
