British broadcasting company Sky will make television history this weekend when it brings audiences a live sporting event in 3-D — the highly anticipated soccer match between Manchester United and Arsenal.

The broadcast will be a preview to Sky's launch of Europe's first 3-D TV channel in April, the company said Thursday. The channel will offer a broad selection of 3-D programming, including movies, entertainment and sport, Sky said.

Jeremy Darroch, the chief executive officer, said in a news release that 3-D is one of the most talked about developments in television.

"Sky has always innovated to bring customers the best possible viewing experience, so we fully intend to take the lead in bringing the spectacle of 3-D to the U.K. and Ireland."

As part of the final preparations for the April launch, Sky will preview the new service by broadcasting the soccer match at nine pubs across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Sky will outfit the pubs with 3-D-ready TVs.

On April 2, 2009, the company broadcast the U.K.'s first live event in 3-D — a performance by the British band Keane from Abbey Road Studios — to a single domestic 3-D TV set, via Sky's satellite network and existing Sky+HD digital boxes.

Sunday's soccer broadcast will be the first to an audience.

Sky+HD customers already have the digital boxes they need for 3-D, said Gerry O'Sullivan, Sky's director of strategic product development.

With 3-D TVs set to hit store shelves this year, customers "simply need to buy any new 3-D TV, all of which will work seamlessly with Sky's groundbreaking new service," Sullivan said.

Sky reaches more than 9.4 million homes, a third of the households across the U.K. and Ireland.