As reported on various specialized websites in Argentina, some matches of the Professional Football League in that country will be broadcast on FTA TV again, through the ‘TV Publica’ channel’. According to the information reported this Thursday, February 25th, executives from the country’s Government has reached an agreement with Disney – one of the owners of the rights to broadcast Argentine football matches – to broadcast two matches for each fixture date of the competition starting today , simultaneously with the Premium Pack, which broadcasts the full League’s matches.

Sources involved in the negotiations reported to the specialized website Infobae that the first match to be part of this broadcasting initiative would be the one played by the Argentinos Juniors and Velez Sarsfield clubs, this Friday night, while the remainder would be the one that will face Banfield against Colon de Santa Fe, this Saturday. Both matches can be watched on both FTA TV (TV Publica) and pay TV (through ESPN), as well as through the Football Pack (through the Fox Sports Premium premium channel). So far, Turner -owner of the other 50% of the rights to broadcast professional football matches in Argentina-, has not joined the agreement. The initiative does not include the matches played by the Boca Juniors, River Plate, San Lorenzo, Independiente and Racing Club teams, which will continue to be available under the premium mode.

Days ago, the match  that faced Lanus and Defensa y Justicia teams; in addition to the one that faced Colon de Santa Fe and San Lorenzo, were broadcast at the same time through the premium football pack in Argentina, as well as through ESPN, on pay TV. Despite Turner’s refusal, from Infobae they reported that the negotiations are still open, with the idea of ​​expanding the schedule of matches that will be broadcast on TV Publica. Likewise, the FTA TV channel is allowed to have its own team of journalists for the matches that are available on its screen on each fixture date of the competition.

This way, Argentine football will be back on  FTA TV after almost four years. In June 2017, the ‘Futbol para Todos’ project came to an end, which had been launched in August 2009 and broadcast all the matches of the local football league on FTA TV channels. Negotiations to broadcast Argentine football matches on TV Publica have taken several weeks. Days ago, there was a meeting for the initiative to take place on the second fixture date of the tournament, but no agreement was reached.