"The Federation Cup semi-finals scheduled to take place in Siliguri on September 27 and 28 as well as the final on the 30th at the same venue will be telecast live on DD Sports," the AIFF said in a statement.
Struggling to raise the profile of its domestic competitions, this is a welcome development for the All India Football Federation, especially in the wake of IMG-Reliance's failure to rope in a broadcast partner for one of the country's most important club competition.
At a core committee meeting of the I-League here on Tuesday, IMG-Reliance representatives had assured clubs that it is on the verge of signing a deal with a channel that would ensure live coverage of Federation Cup and I-League matches this season.
However, two days into the tournament in Siliguri and Jamshedpur, there had been no live coverage, once again highlighting IMG-Reliance's failure to live up to its promise.
IMG's failure to deliver on its promise left the club officials miffed, with some of them questioning their commitment to Indian football.