The future of the ‘Football for All’ scheme, which reserves domestic football coverage in Argentina for free-to-air television, is uncertain after the Argentinian Football Association suggested that the arrangement with the government could be curtailed.
AFA president Luis Segura said after a meeting of 12 clubs on Friday that the association would be interested in sealing an agreement with the government, which has the rights to the domestic league, to end the deal before it is due to expire in 2019.
The government, which distributes the rights to free-to-air broadcasters, is reportedly keen to hold a tender process for the rights it holds. The AFA has indicated that it would be interested in buying back the rights.
“We found out that ‘Football for All’ is preparing a bidding process,” Segura said, according to the Buenos Aires Herald newspaper. “We met to talk about this issue and decided to tell the government that we want to participate.”
A meeting between AFA officials, Presidential Chief of Staff Fernando de Andreis and Football for All director Fernando Marín has been scheduled for Tuesday.
US pay-television broadcaster Turner, the Fox network, media company Clarín Group and the Mediapro and IMG agencies are all reportedly interested in the rights to Argentinian domestic football.