DirecTV claims to have secured Ecuadorian football team rights

Pay-television operator DirecTV claims it has secured domestic rights to matches of Ecuador’s national football team.

DirecTV’s sports manager, José Antonio Cárdenas, is reported to have claimed yesterday in an interview with Radio Stereo Fiesta that DirecTV will show friendly matches and home Fifa World Cup qualifier matches of the Ecuador national team from 2018-19 to 2021-22.

Cárdenas said matches would be available on a pay-per-view basis and that this Friday’s friendly match (September 7) against Jamaica would cost $10. Ecuador’s friendly match against Guatemala, on September 11, will cost the same amount.

The report comes after the Ecuadorian football federation chose to launch a second tender for international rights to the national team’s Fifa World Cup qualifier and friendly matches. Pay-television broadcaster Gol TV won international rights to Ecuador’s home qualifiers and friendly matches in the initial process late last year.