Sources close to negotiations suggest the draft proposal put forward would see a network produce its own coverage for two A-League games each round, with Fox Sports retaining the live rights to the remaining three matches.

Under the current six-year broadcast deal between Fox Sports and Football Federation Australia, which expires in 2023, Fox pays about $57 million each year to show all five games each round live and exclusive, with one match simulcast live on a free-to-air network. Fox Sports purchased a Saturday night timeslot from Network Ten to televise the A-League match on free-to-air, retaining all advertising revenue from that coverage. That free-to-air component is up for sale for next season but it appears certain any deal will involved a renegotiation with Fox Sports that will include a second match shown live and exclusive on Ten.

Already, FFA has held talks with Ten and Nine, which publishes this masthead, over the future of A-League broadcasting, as well as approaching Seven West Media over the future of free-to-air broadcasting of the A-League. Formal talks involving Fox Sports are set to commence in the coming weeks but momentum is already growing over a deal that could significantly increase the competition's exposure on free-to-air.

"We are considering our free-to-air options," FFA chief David Gallop said. "But it is not appropriate to speculate other than reiterating that we are in the second year of a very valuable six-year relationship with Fox Sports and are focussed on providing value under that contract for now and for the future of our content rights."

Sources close to the negotiations suggest Fox Sports' appetite for football has waned significantly since losing the rights to the English Premier League, with plummeting A-League ratings on pay TV compounded by financial woes.