The Zambia National Broadcast Corporation, the country’s public-service broadcaster, has said it may not broadcast Friday’s crucial 2014 Fifa World Cup football qualifier between Zambia and Ghana due to the rights fee being demanded by the Sportfive agency.
ZNBC director general Chibamba Kanyama told the Zambia Daily Mail newspaper that rights-holder Sportfive is asking for $150,000 (€112,000) to broadcast the game, adding that ZNBC has paid the same figure for the rights to the World Cup itself in Brazil next year.
Negotiations with Sportfive are ongoing.
Kanyama added: “As at now it is a 50/50 situation. If Sportfive insist on $150,000, we will not televise the match. I am sure Zambians who will not travel to Ghana want to watch the match on television.”
Zambia, on 11 points, need to beat Ghana in their final Group D game to progress to the last round of African qualifying while its opponent, on 12 points, only needs a draw.