SBS is set to show all World Cup matches for the next 48 hours as the besieged Optus Sport tries to fix the streaming issues that have plagued the nation’s football fans.

The station announced on Monday evening it would step in and show all matches following discussions with Optus - which has faced a fierce backlash from fans struggling to access live coverage through the telco’s streaming service.

SEE THE TV SCHEDULE BELOW

“Following discussions with Optus Sport, we have agreed that SBS will air all 2018 FIFA World Cup games for the next 48 hours,” SBS managing director Michael Ebeid said.

“That’s an additional four games on free-to-air, giving even more Australians the chance to enjoy the tournament.

“The FIFA World Cup is a true multicultural celebration that unites Australia’s diverse communities and SBS is pleased to be bringing more of the tournament to Australian audiences.”

The move comes after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull entered the debate and SBS’s CEO said his company might intervene.

On Monday Mr Turnbull reached out to Optus chief Allen Lew regarding the network’s streaming issues.

Optus and SBS have agreed that SBS can televise all FIFA World Cup games for the next 48 hours, giving all Australians the chance to enjoy the tournament. #WorldCup @TheWorldGame — SBS Australia (@SBS) June 18, 2018

“I have spoken with the Optus CEO, Allen Lew. He assures me he is giving the World Cup streaming problems his personal attention and he believes it will be fixed this evening,” Mr Turnbull posted on Twitter.

But SBS could prove the real hero. Earlier on Monday the broadcaster flagged action, saying it was prepared to get involved in fixing Optus’s ongoing issues — and that might mean showing more matches on its own channel.

Football fans were left fuming on Sunday night after Optus’s broadcast of the World Cup failed for a third successive night.

SBS, which has covered the Cup for the past 32 years, again holds the rights but sub-licenced a portion of matches to Optus.

I have spoken with the Optus CEO, Allen Lew. He assures me he is giving the World Cup streaming problems his personal attention and he believes it will be fixed this evening. — Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) June 18, 2018

But as fans vented their fury over disruptions to Optus’s streaming service, Mr Ebeid said the broadcaster might have to get involved.

“I think if Optus continues to have problems then we might have a conversation about how we can help them further about putting those games on our channels,” Mr Ebeid said on Monday.

“We’re obviously able and willing to do that.”

A diplomatic Mr Ebeid backed Optus to fix the issues, saying he believed “less than five per cent of viewers were affected”.

Now showing on SBS: Monday June 18 Group F: Sweden v Korea Republic - LIVE from 9.40pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*) NEW Tuesday June 19 Group G: Belgium v Panama, LIVE from 12.45am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*) NEW Group G: Tunisia v England, LIVE from 3.30am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*) Group H: Colombia v Japan LIVE from 9.30pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*) Wednesday June 20 Group H: Poland v Senegal, LIVE from 12.45am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*) NEW Group A: Russia v Egypt, LIVE from 3.45am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*) NEW

But he said the clock was ticking for the telco to fix the problems. Asked if Optus might need to have all issues sorted with the next 48 hours, he said:

“Maybe even less, maybe even 24 hours, I think they’ll need to take a good, hard look at where they’re at in terms of fixing the problem,” he said.

“But from the conversations I’ve had with Optus, they seem very confident that it (the issue) is down to a very small number of users.”

Aware that Optus’s problems might also affect SBS’s reputation, Mr Ebeid said the issue was “not ideal” but his station had been forced to slash its Cup coverage due to budget.

“At the end of the day, it does come down to finances,” Mr Ebeid told SEN.

“We’ve paid a lot more for the World Cup (this time) and at the same time our costs for the World Cup have gone up.

“Our revenues have been going down. We’ve had about $40 million in reductions in our government funding.

“So at the end of the day you have to cut your cloth to suit your own funding. One of the things we wanted to make sure was that we retained the World Cup for our viewers, and the deal that we did enabled us to have the best game of the day, every day of the World Cup which we get to choose.

“One of the advantages of the Optus deal was it enabled us to get the English Premier League for 38 weeks a year every year for three years in between the World Cups.”

Optus Sport offered a grovelling apology after disruptions to streaming plagued the Costa Rica vs Serbia match on Sunday evening.

Chief executive Allen Lew had earlier promised the telco “will do better” after Saturday night and Sunday morning’s patchy coverage during which many customers reported connection outages.

“I apologise unreservedly to all Australians,” Mr Lew said in a statement on Twitter.

“We should have done better, we can do better and we will do better,” he said.

Optus Sport then issued another statement on Twitter:

“We are aware that some users are currently experiencing technical difficulties during the Costa Rica-Serbia game,” it wrote.

“Our tech teams are working urgently to fix this.”

In a follow up Tweet, the telco advised users to switch platforms.

“For those users currently experiencing technical difficulties on Optus Sport, please enter your details into the 2018 FIFA World Cup app to watch the Costa Rica-Serbia game while our tech teams work to fix the problem.”

But one user who tried to use their phone to watch the game was met with a “playback error” message. “Please reload the stream and try again.”

The user said they were fuming after contacting Optus and being told to try different ways of streaming.

For those users currently experiencing technical difficulties on Optus Sport, please enter your details into the 2018 FIFA World Cup app to watch the Costa Rica-Serbia game while our tech teams work to fix the problem. — Optus Sport (@OptusSport) June 17, 2018

“It’s wrong that we are forced to pay for a sub par service.

“We as a paying public deserve to be able to view these international events.

“It’s wrong that this is doing damage to the game of soccer.

“They have had plenty of time since they were awarded the rights to get this right.”

And despite Mr Lew vowing the problem had his “personal attention”, those tuning in to watch Sunday’s match were enraged.

“Surely this is the end for @OptusSport,” one user wrote.

We are aware that some users are currently experiencing technical difficulties during the Costa Rica-Serbia game.



Our tech teams are working urgently to fix this. — Optus Sport (@OptusSport) June 17, 2018

“Let’s all revolt and unsubscribe from Optus until they give the rights back to SBS. End this atrocity #OptusSport,” wrote another.

“This is useless … can’t even watch through your App. Can’t we get another provider to show the greatest game on earth,” one twitter user wrote.

Optus Sport said their tech teams were “working urgently” to fix this.

“For those users currently experiencing technical difficulties on Optus Sport, please enter your details into the 2018 FIFA World Cup app to watch the Costa Rica-Serbia game while our tech teams work to fix the problem,” the telco wrote on Twitter.

In an extra kick in the guts for Optus, punters reported the SBS app was streaming the games without hiccup.

Are there any grounds to put a case forward against @OptusSport @Optus for the lack of service and have paying subscribers compensated plus hefty fines for a sub-par product? @acccgovau #classaction #badservice #WorldCup #AskingForAFriend — Diego Torre (@robiroso) June 17, 2018

On Saturday, the under-fire telco had blamed other providers for the problems, claiming its network did not have any issues.

Some users attempting to watch the clash between Argentina and Iceland were met with buffering and delays of between 30 seconds and three minutes, prompting calls for Optus to provide compensation and be fined.

“We should be eligible for a refund if they can’t guarantee it won’t continue happening,” one user, who signed up to Optus Sports Premium for $14.99 per month to watch the World Cup, told the Herald Sun today.

“The stream just didn’t work on Optus Sport and their response was bulls***.

“And their customer support didn’t even read my message.”

As Argentina and Iceland fought out a 1-1 draw — with legendary Lionel Messi missing a penalty — former Socceroo Robbie Slater led the social media angst.

He called the streaming issues “a farce” and “an absolute disgrace” before signing off with “#F***buffering”.

Going to bed what a farce ! Absolute disgrace ! — Robbie Slater (@RobbieSlater17) June 16, 2018

We all just want to watch the @FIFAWorldCup but we can’t ! Shame on all of you ! And you know who you are ! Night — Robbie Slater (@RobbieSlater17) June 16, 2018

The Fox Sports Australia personality wasn’t alone, with fans lamenting the “damage” caused to the world game, branding Optus “Floptus” and fearing this World Cup will be remembered for all the wrong reasons:

Just like the great World Cup memories of the past, in years to come people will be saying "remember that company, they were called Optus, they ruined the 2018 World Cup for Australians" #FifaWorldCup2018 #FLOPtusSport #optusfail #OptusSportfail #OptusSport — kurt Kavanagh (@KavanaghKurt) June 17, 2018

I would gladly continue to pay @OptusSport the $15 a month just for them to give the rights back to @TheWorldGame @SBS - Optus you are disgrace and ruining the game in this country. Do the honourable thing and give the game back to someone who can actually show it! #FifaWorldCup — Nick Kakalis (@nick_kakalis) June 17, 2018

To engender and maintain loyalty among fans and advertisers alike in a brand such as soccer, people have to b able to view the product. With its streaming service fiasco, Optus Sport has done immeasurable damage 2 the brand of soccer & compromised its survival here in Au. — Devilish (@Sydney666) June 17, 2018

Optus Sport have ruined what we in Australia took for granted. Watching the World Cup for free and uninterupted ! — Jimmy Baker (@Spearchuka69) June 17, 2018

An Optus spokeswoman said yesterday: “We believe the vast majority of viewers were not impacted and had a good viewing experience,” a spokeswoman said.

“However, some customers who watched the match on the Optus Sport app, on certain devices through other telco networks, experienced buffering issues.”

Optus said it had taken action to within its control to alleviate issues.

“As a result of these actions incidences of buffering reduced significantly during the course of the night to low levels,” the spokeswoman said.

Optus also had dramas on the opening night of the tournament.

We apologise that some viewers may be experiencing technical difficulties. You can view the game by signing in with your Optus Sport details on our separate 2018 FIFA World Cup™ app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. — Optus Sport (@OptusSport) June 16, 2018

- with AAP