Liverpool v TNS on ITV2

2nd and 3rd Qualifying round home legs also on ITV1 or 2

Liverpool will begin their defence of the Champions League trophy they won in May live on ITV2, after the broadcaster secured the rights to the club's first round qualifier for next season's competition. ITV2 will broadcast the first leg of the Liverpool qualifier, against Welsh village side Total Network Solutions, from Anfield on Wednesday, July 13.

The second leg, which is expected to be played at Wrexham because Welsh champions TNS's own Treflan Stadium does not meet Uefa standards, will follow on July 19.

ITV has also secured the rights to the home legs of Liverpool's second and third round qualifying matches, which could be played on ITV1 or ITV2, depending on the opposition.

Liverpool could be drawn against Merseyside rivals Everton in the third round - a match which ITV would almost certainly schedule on ITV1.

"The Champions League is the world's top club competition and ITV is proud to have been involved since it began," said Nigel Pickard, the director of programmes at ITV.

"Along with the rest of the nation we were delighted with both the victory for Liverpool in May and the news that they are able to defend their title next season."

The Anfield side missed out on automatic Champions League qualification by finishing fifth in last season's Premiership - the four places for English clubs going to Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton.

But the holders were granted special dispensation by the competition organiser Uefa to defend the title they won in an astonishing comeback against Milan in the Champions League final in May. The English team's victory attracted a peak audience of 14.6 million viewers to ITV1.

Liverpool will have to play three, two-leg qualifying rounds to reach the main Champions League competition.

If they get past TNS, Liverpool will play either HB Torshavn of the Faroe Islands or FBK Kaunas of Lithuania in the second qualifying round in late July and early August.