EIGHT Brisbane Roar matches will be shown live on free-to-air television next season when SBS becomes co-broadcasters of the A-League with Fox Sports.

The 2013-14 A-League draw will be released today, with The Courier-Mail having learned that almost a third of Brisbane's 27 regular-season matches will be played on Friday nights.

Under the new $160 million broadcast deal, both SBS2 and Fox Sports will televise Friday night A-League matches.

The season kicks off on Friday October 11, when Sydney FC take on the Newcastle Jets.

It's understood the Roar will travel to New Zealand in round one to take on Wellington Phoenix.

In other opening round fixtures, the Victory will meet the Heart in the Melbourne derby, Adelaide United will do battle with Perth Glory, and Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers will clash in a grand final re-match.

The Roar are unlikely to play any matches at Suncorp Stadium in December due to the Milton venue hosting Taylor Swift and Bon Jovi concerts.

But Roar general manager Sean Dobson was hopeful of the club staging a regional fixture in north Queensland on December 21.

In other features of the 2013-14 schedule, the grand final is set to be pushed back to May.

Meanwhile, the Roar are expected to today confirm the signing of former Republic of Ireland international Liam Miller.

The Courier-Mail reported last month that the 32-year-old ex-Manchester United and Celtic playmaker was likely to join the Roar after spending the past two A-League seasons with the Glory.

The Roar will also today detail a pre-season schedule that will include matches against National Premier League teams Brisbane City, Brisbane Strikers, Palm Beach and Western Pride.

Meanwhile, concern over the future of the Socceroos has claimed its first victim, with national teams boss John Boultbee departing after almost eight years in charge.

Boultbee, responsible for managing all the men and women's various national teams, will leave FFA at the end of the qualifying campaign for next year's World Cup to stand for the presidency of rowing's international governing body, FISA.

Originally published as Eight Roar games on free-to-air