Disney+ confirms technical fault caused ad break during Arsenal European opener

Disney+ has said a three-minute advertising break that interrupted Arsenal's Women's Champions League match against HB Koge was caused by a technical problem rather than a scheduled commercial slot. According to BBC Sport, the coverage cut away during the second half on Tuesday while the score was still 0-0, preventing viewers from following the match continuously.

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In a statement to the BBC, Disney acknowledged the disruption and said its team was taking steps to prevent a repeat. The company also recognised viewers' frustration and confirmed that the advertising break had not been intended. Arsenal eventually won their opening match of the competition 1-0, with Mariona Caldentey converting a penalty in stoppage time.

The interruption came during the second season of Women's Champions League coverage on Disney+, with matches produced by ESPN. This season's programming includes a new studio show, The Hangout, covering the periods before kick-off, at half-time and after the final whistle. Disney had presented the programme as a way to bring together expert analysis, different perspectives and interaction with supporters.

BBC Sport reported several other production problems during the evening. Players waiting for interviews were unable to hear questions from the studio, while audio synchronisation issues affected the broadcast. Some camera angles left presenter Alex Scott partly obscured by cushions, and a rotating studio floor also caused difficulties. Those incidents accompanied the separate interruption to the live match pictures.

The programme was hosted by Scott alongside former England forward Lianne Sanderson and content creators Alex Bailess and Tyra Mills. Its studio features included a vegetable platter and an appearance by Barley Boy, a dog with 137,000 Instagram followers. The BBC reported that the dog's social media following was the only explanation offered for its presence on the set.

There were sound problems beyond the studio, too. Reporter Roberto Perrone experienced audio difficulties in Milan while covering Inter Milan's match against Hacken. When sound resumed, the programme showed a quiz on subjects including pasta and Italian cities. Disney+ is due to continue its Women's Champions League coverage on Wednesday, when Chelsea host Austria Wien at 20:00 BST.