The Australian Championship has found itself a television home in SBS, with the world game to be broadcast on the channel for at least the next two years.
Football Australia and SBS announced the deal on Thursday, confirming that 18 matches of the inaugural competition will be shown on free-to-air television and live and free on their SBS On Demand service.
“Our partnership with SBS is a landmark moment for Australian football and the Australian Championship,” said Football Australia Interim Chief Executive Officer Heather Garriock in the press release on the announcement.
“SBS shares our passion for uniting the game and our commitment to making it accessible to everyone. Together, we’re not just broadcasting matches—we’re building a national platform that celebrates Australian football’s storied past whilst also investing in future generations.”
Ken Shipp, SBS Director of Sport, noted:
“As the spiritual home of football in Australia, SBS is the natural home for the Australian Championship.”
As part of the deal, every Saturday match from the group stage (12 in total) will be shown along with two quarter-finals, both semi-finals and the Grand Final.
Also among the broadcasted games will be the much-anticipated opening clash between South Melbourne and Sydney Olympic on Friday 10 October, which will be shown on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.
Outside of Australia, the competition will also see five matches from the finals series broadcast to the Pacific Islands via Football Australia’s partnership with Pacific Aus TV.
The deal with SBS is confirmed for two years, while there is also an option to extend it beyond that.
