Olyroos’ U23 Championships won’t be broadcast on Australian TV
With no local broadcaster showing their games, Australian football fans hoping to watch the Socceroos of tomorrow will have to head online to catch the Olyroos’ U23 Championships in Thailand.
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Australian fans won’t be able to watch the Olyroos in action at the all-important AFC Under-23 Championships in Thailand as they attempt to qualify for their first Olympics since Beijing 2008.
Viewers at home will have to tune into the AFC YouTube channel because a broadcaster in Australia is unlikely to show arguably one of the under-23 team’s most important qualification cycles in recent history.
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“At the moment we understand no broadcaster in Australia is showing the tournament,” Football Federation Australia media officer Ben O’Neill said on Twitter.
“We are hopeful that we will be able to provide official AFC YouTube streaming links early next week and will update as soon as we can, if we can.”
It is understood Fox Sports will only televise knockout matches involving Australia. It covered the tournaments in 2016 and 2018.
The Olyroos have not reached the knockout stages of the past two AFC Championships and must make the final of the tournament to ensure they qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
It they are beaten in the semi-finals, they have to win the third-place playoff match to qualify.
Olyroos coach Graham Arnold has left no stone unturned in his bid to reach the Tokyo Olympics.
“I fought so hard to have those three camps in preparation [in September, October and November],” Arnold said following the unveiling of the squad.
“We go there expecting to qualify. I know how important qualification to the Olympics is because it produces six to seven Socceroos.
“My vision when I took this job was to create depth for the Socceroos.”
The tournament begins on Wednesday when Australia play Iraq. They then face hosts Thailand and group outsiders Bahrain.
Originally published as Olyroos’ U23 Championships won’t be broadcast on Australian TV