[TELEVISION WATCH] Ian Darke, who works for London-based Sky Sports, and ESPN commentators Adrian Healey and Derek Rae, will join Martin Tyler as play-by-play match commentators for ESPN’s English-language coverage of the 2010 World Cup in the United States. Darke, Healey a nd Tyler are all English, while Rae is a native of Scotland.

Tyler, who also works for Sky Sports, was previously announced as ESPN’s lead play-by-play commentator on one of four teams to call the 64 tournament matches June 11-July 11.
 
Darke works for Sky Sports on its English Premier League coverage, while Healey handles ESPN International’s English-language coverage of Spain’s La Liga and hosts ESPN2 EPL telecasts. Rae, who joined ESPN after working for the 1994 World Cup organizing committee, worked on UEFA Champions League matches for many years.
 
“The group of commentators we have assembled represents some of the finest English-language voices for televised soccer anywhere in the world,” said Jed Drake, ESPN’s executive producer of its World Cup coverage.  “They present the sport at its highest level and their first-hand knowledge of the players who will compete in the FIFA World Cup will greatly inform fans and enhance how we present this global event in the United States.”

ESPN’s analyst pairings will be announced later this spring.