Jacques Lambert, the head of the local organising committee for the Uefa Euro 2016, is hopeful more games from the national team football tournament in France will end up being shown on free-to-air television in the country.
Pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has the rights to live coverage of all matches, while commercial broadcasters TF1 and M6 will show 11 games live each.
However, an outstanding package of rights covering a further 11 matches, to be sublicensed by beIN Sports, is still available, meaning a total of 33 games could be shown on free-to-air television.
“I had forgotten about this batch of 11 matches to sublicense,” Lambert said. “I hope that it is sold. If instead of 22 games being shown for free there are 33 – more than half of the matches – then it would be good for the tournament.”
Lambert acknowledged that domestic coverage of the tournament is “well beyond” the minimum guarantee under the country’s law of the opening matches, games featuring the France team and the final being shown on free-to-air television, but added: “It is regrettable that it is not enough.”