Footballing Weekly: Are Singapore fans being charged too much for World Cup live games?
SINGAPORE — Just 21 days before the 2022 World Cup Finals are set to open in Qatar, football fans in Singapore finally received news of how much they have to fork out to subscribe to watch the matches live.
And any hopes of a cheaper subscription package were dashed when local telcos Singtel and StarHub unveiled their subscription rates: $98 for early-bird subscribers before 6 November, and $118 thereafter.
The price is a slight increase from the $94 subscription price ($112 after early-bird promotion) for the 2018 World Cup Finals.
World Cup subscription prices in Singapore have skyrocketed in the past decade, when the prices jumped from $10.50/$26 in 2006 to $70/$94 in 2010.
The prices are high when compared to prices in other Southeast Asia countries. In Malaysia, subscribers to pay-TV provider Astro’s sports pack - which is available for RM59.90 (S$17.80) for a six-month subscription for new customers - can catch all 64 games. Radio Television Malaysia will also broadcast 41 of the 64 matches free.
In the Philippines, an “All Access Pass” package on pay-per-view channel WC TV costs 1,999 pesos (S$48.50) and includes streaming options. In Indonesia, games will be aired on its free-to-air TV channels SCTV, Indosiar, O Channel and Mentari TV.
Should Singapore fans be unhappy at the steep World Cup subscription prices? What can they do to push down the prices in future World Cup? Check out the "Footballing Weekly" panel debating on this issue.
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