It is becoming evident more than ever before that football followers in Malta will not be able to watch all the 64 matches to be played during the World Cup finals in Germany next year.

Unless, of course, one is subscribed to a company like, for example, Sky Sport, which will be screening all the matches via satellite.

So far it seems as if none of the local companies – PBS, Super One, Net TV, Melita Cable and Multiplus – have shown a particular interest in opening negotiations to get the rights to screen at least some of the matches.

Representatives of some of the companies have told The Malta Independent that the prices for transmission of matches are excessively high. However, it is understood that at least one of the companies is negotiating for the rights to transmit some matches, though its representative admitted that the rights were out of reach.

Even Italian State TV Rai will not be showing all the matches. They have won the rights to transmit one match per playing day, that is, just 25 of the 64-match programme, of course, including the matches to be played by Italy.