SOCCER is back on free-to-air television tonight with SBS to televise the Socceroos World Cup qualifier against Jordan on a one-hour delay.

The news comes with Football Federation Australia on the verge of announcing a new four-year deal, worth between $38-40 million-a-year.

Fox Sports, which is televising tonight’s match live, will continue to televise every domestic and international match live.

SBS’s telecast commences at 2.30am (kick off 3am) while Fox’s coverage starts at 1.30am (2am kick off).

FFA chief executive Ben Buckley confirmed that a new TV deal _ incorporating A-League and Socceroos matches _ was close.

“I thank our long-term partners Fox Sports and Foxtel for accommodating this arrangement,” FFA chief executive Ben Buckley said in a statement.

“Australian football would not have achieved so much growth and development since 2005 without the significant investment of Fox Sports.

“I welcome SBS’s support in broadcasting Wednesday’s match. SBS has a rich history in covering domestic and international Australian football.

”FFA is currently in ongoing discussions with Fox Sports and SBS over the long-term broadcast rights in Australian football.

“The discussions have reached an advanced stage and the parties have displayed good faith, which has allowed this one-off arrangement for Wednesday’s match.”

The Herald Sun understands SBS will also secure rights for A-League matches for four years from 2013, in addition to the Socceroos games.

SBS staved off a late bid from Network 10, which re-entered the race after missing out on NRL rights three weeks ago.

Kicking in a year earlier, the Socceroos' World Cup qualifiers will be televised on SBS on a one-hour delay, starting tonight.

However, A-League will likely have to wait another year before games are shown on free-to-air.

The Herald Sun understands SBS will televise one live game a week - probably Saturday night.

While SBS was keen to start immediately, Fox Sports wanted to retain exclusivity until 2013, when the present deal expires.

SBS may also screen a weekly highlights package.

The $38-40 million-per-year deal is likely to include at least $5 million in contra, with Fox Sports paying the lion's share. Fox Sports has had exclusive rights for A-League and Socceroos World Cup qualifiers and friendlies since 2005. The last deal was worth $21 million a year, incorporating $3 million of contra.

Football Federation Australia is proposing to lift the annual club dividend to $2.5 million once the deal kicks in (it already agreed to up the disbursement from $1.45 million to $1.9 million last July), covering the salary cap.

A-League owners are expected to fight for a larger sum.

FFA has enjoyed a testy relationship with SBS, so the announcement comes as a big step forward for the sport.

Originally published as Socceroos on free-to-air tomorrow