Portuguese commercial broadcaster SIC has agreed a sublicensing deal with public-service broadcaster RTP for rights to the 2018 Fifa World Cup national team football tournament, according to multiple reports.
The deal has yet to be formally confirmed, but Portuguese newspaper Público said it will be signed in the coming weeks.
Under the agreement, SIC will reportedly sublicense eight matches from rights-holder RTP to this summer’s competition in Russia, including one meeting featuring the Portuguese national team. SIC will hold exclusive rights to these matches.
SIC will also broadcast highlights of the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 15, while Público added that RTP is also in talks over a separate sublicensing deal with pay-television broadcaster Sport TV.
RTP paid €25.8m ($31.5m) for rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The 2018 World Cup contract is said to have cost €12.6m with RTP reportedly projecting revenues of only €7m from this year’s tournament.
Portugal has been drawn in Group B alongside Spain, Morocco and Iran.