ESPN to Air Ali Memorial Live; Euro 2016 Opener to ESPN2

BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — ESPN is switching the network for the opener of soccer's European Championship so it can provide live coverage of Muhammad Ali's memorial service on its flagship channel.

The company said Wednesday that the Euro 2016 opener between host France and Romania on Friday will shift from ESPN to ESPN2. Coverage of Ali's memorial service from Louisville, Kentucky, will now air on ESPN. Broadcasts of both start at 1 p.m. Central time.

Former President Bill Clinton will deliver Ali's eulogy at the KFC Yum! Center, which seats 15,000. Other speakers include family members, actor Billy Crystal, sportscaster Bryant Gumbel and representatives of multiple faiths. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and King Abdullah the Second of Jordan plan to attend, and actor Will Smith and former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis are among eight pallbearers.

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