Hey! Say! JUMP Kota Yabu:MC for a special program looking ahead to the Champions League quarterfinals

With the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League (CL), a soccer tournament in which Europe's top clubs compete, approaching, WOWOW has announced that it will be streaming "Champions League Digest! Special Edition ~CL Quarter-final Preview Show~" for free on March 23rd. Kota Yabu from the popular group Hey! Say! JUMP will be the MC.

Yabu is also the MC of WOWOW's soccer information program "Champions League Digest!". The special program will also feature regular commentator Ryohei Hayashi, former Japan national soccer team player Tomoaki Makino, soccer-loving comedian Hiroyuki Iguchi of the comedy duo "Westland," and ABEMA announcer Yuka Nishizawa.

While looking back on the fierce battles up to the round of 16 this season, we will introduce the eight teams that advanced to the quarterfinals and talk about their matchups. We will also replay some of the most memorable scenes from past Champions League matches, and introduce some memorable moments for Yabu, Makino, Hayashi, and Iguchi.

"Champions League Digest! Special Edition ~CL Quarterfinals Preview Show~" will be streamed for free on WOWOW On Demand from noon on March 23rd. It will also be streamed for free on ABEMA de WOWSPO (WOWSPO).

Additionally, the first part of the "Champions League Digest! Special Roundtable Discussion - Yabu Kota x Makino Tomoaki x Hayashi Ryohei Talk All About Their Love for the Champions League" will be streamed for free on WOWOW On Demand, WOWOW Soccer official YouTube, and WOWSPO from midnight on the 25th, and the second part from midnight on the 26th. Yabu, Makino, and Hayashi will each present their "CL Best 11" selected from the great players who have played in the Champions League so far, and the three will then decide on the "CL Dream Team Best 11". They will also announce the "CL 2024-25 Best 11" selected from players who have participated in the Champions League this season.

Yabu commented, "There has never been a tournament without some drama, and I think the Champions League is something that moves hearts beyond the boundaries of soccer. I am really happy to be able to convey this charm to everyone as the program's MC. Also, this will be my first time working with Makino Tomoaki, someone I've admired since my playing days, so I hope to enjoy the program purely as a soccer fan, and deliver a 'Champions League Digest!' like never before!"

Iguchi said, "This is a program about the Champions League, the world's top tournament, so I'm really looking forward to it as it's a top soccer program! I want people who love soccer, of course, but also people who don't know what the Champions League is to watch it! I want people to know that there is a tournament like this in soccer every year."