Media: ARD and ZDF sole broadcasters of 2014 World Cup in Germany

The German public service broadcasters ARD and ZDF will broadcast all 64 matches of the 2014 World Cup live, announced ZDF's Director of Sport, Dieter Gruschwitz, on the 11/12/2013. The amount of the acquisition is estimated between 150 and 180 million euro.

ARD and ZDF have not managed to sub-licence some broadcasting rights in Germany for the next World Cup. German pay-TV group RTL explained that they already "positioned themselves in acquiring the rights to broadcast Euro 2016 qualifiers and the 2018 World Cup," on the 29/10/2013. For the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, they broadcast nine matches.

The distribution of matches will be announced before the 16/12/2013, the company said. The final of the 2014 World Cup, on the 13/07/2014, and Germany's three group matches will be broadcast by ARD, according to German media. In contrast, ZDF will broadcast the opening match of the competition between Brazil and Croatia, on the 12/06/2014.

• Germany's group matches in the 2014 World Cup:
  • 16/06/2014, in Salvador: Germany - Portugal (kick-off at 6pm CET)
  • 21/06/2014, in Fortazela…