SBS initially stepped in for 48 hours after hordes of viewers complained about the disrupted service. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull even extracted an assurance from the telco that problems would be fixed ASAP.

On Wednesday SBS released a statement saying Optus and the FTA broadcaster had mutually agreed that SBS would continue the simulcast until June 29.

SBS Managing Director Michael Ebeid said: "The FIFA World Cup is the absolute pinnacle of football, a sport that Australians are deeply passionate about. SBS looks forward to continuing to simulcast the games, together with Optus over the next 10 days."

Optus won rights to all the World Cup games but the fall-out has been something of a public relations disaster. The company tweeted:  "We've learned a very important lesson from last weekend and we're confident of handling the knockout rounds.”

LIVE MATCH BROADCAST SCHEDULE:

 

WEDNESDAY 20 JUNE

Portugal v Morocco               LIVE from 9.30pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*) 

 

THURSDAY 21 JUNE

Uruguay v Saudi Arabia        LIVE from 12.30am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*)                          NEW

IR Iran v Spain                       LIVE from 3.30am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*)                            NEW

Denmark v Australia              LIVE from 9.30pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*)

 

FRIDAY 22 JUNE

France v Peru                         LIVE from 12.30am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*)                          NEW

Argentina v Croatia               LIVE from 3.30am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*)                            NEW

Brazil v Costa Rica                LIVE from 9.30pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*)

 

SATURDAY 23 JUNE

Nigeria v Iceland                    LIVE from 12.30am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*)                          NEW

Serbia v Switzerland              LIVE from 3.30am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*)                            NEW

Belgium v Tunisia                 LIVE from 9.30pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*)

 

SUNDAY 24 JUNE

Korea Republic v Mexico      LIVE from 12.30am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*)                          NEW

Germany v Sweden                LIVE from 3.30am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*)     

England v Panama                LIVE from 9.30pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*)

 

MONDAY 25 JUNE – previously unconfirmed

Japan v Senegal                    LIVE from 12.30am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*)

Poland v Colombia                LIVE from 3.30am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*)     

Uruguay v Russia                  LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am Tuesday*)         Channel TBC

Saudi Arabia v Egypt             LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am Tuesday*)         Channel TBC

 

TUESDAY 26 JUNE

Spain v Morocco                   LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*)     Channel TBC               NEW

IR Iran v Portugal                   LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*)     Channel TBC               NEW

Australia v Peru                     LIVE from 11pm* on SBS (kick-off 12am Wed*)

Denmark v France                 LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am Wed*) Channel TBC      NEW

 

WEDNESDAY 27 JUNE – previously unconfirmed

Nigeria v Argentina               LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*)     Channel TBC  

Iceland v Croatia                   LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*)     Channel TBC  

Korea Republic v Germany   LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am*) Channel TBC

Mexico v Sweden                  LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am*) Channel TBC

 

THURSDAY 28 JUNE – previously unconfirmed

Serbia v Brazil                        LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*)     Channel TBC  

Switzerland v Costa Rica      LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*)     Channel TBC  

Japan v Poland                      LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am*) Channel TBC  

Senegal v Colombia              LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am*) Channel TBC  

FRIDAY 29 JUNE – previously unconfirmed

Panama v Tunisia                  LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*)     Channel TBC  

England v Belgium                LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*)     Channel TBC

SBS’s existing 2018 FIFA World Cup™ programming schedule including FIFA World Cup Today highlights show at 5.30pm* daily and the SBS Match of the Day replay at 6.30am* daily will remain in place.

*All times in AEST and subject to change