Furious football fans have slammed mobile streaming provider Optus for its third night of lagging coverage of the World Cup.
Prolonged technical issues have marred the broadcast since Optus won the competitive rights to broadcast all 64 games to Australian audiences for the first time this year.
Disruptions to streaming have plagued the broadcast over three nights; from playback errors during Egypt’s Group A match against Uruguay to three-minute delays in viewing the Argentina and Iceland match on Saturday night.
Yet, moments into Sunday night’s game between Serbia and Costa Rica, eager viewers were met with another playback error.
Moments into Sunday night’s game between Serbia and Costa Rica, (pictured) eager viewers were met with another playback error
Optus Chief executive Allen Lew said the provider ‘will do better’ after Saturday night and Sunday morning’s coverage, saying: ‘I apologise unreservedly to all Australians,’ in a statement on Twitter.
‘We should have done better, we can do better and we will do better,’ he said.
In an attempt to appease frustrated customers, the telco advised users to switch platforms.
‘For those users currently experiencing technical difficulties on Optus Sport, please enter your details into the 2018 FIFA World Cup app to watch the Costa Rica-Serbia game while our tech teams work to fix the problem.’
Viewers of the match between Argentina and Iceland on Saturday night (pictured) were forced to sit through delays of up to three minutes
Yet, moments into Sunday night’s game between Serbia and Costa Rica, eager viewers were met with another playback error
In an attempt to appease frustrated customers, the telco advised users to switch platforms
Customers using the telco’s service to stream games at this year’s tournament have complained about experiencing outages (Pictured: Iceland playing against Argentina)
But even that wasn’t enough to solve the problem with one user receiving another ‘playback error’ message on his phone.
‘It’s wrong that we are forced to pay for a sub par service,’ the user said.
‘We as a paying public deserve to be able to view these international events.
‘It’s wrong that this is doing damage to the game of soccer.
‘They have had plenty of time since they were awarded the rights to get this right.’
Optus Sport said their tech teams were ‘working urgently’ to fix the problem.
‘I hear the streaming is going well ! Absolute disgrace ! Long month ahead ! If you going to have it deliver it !’ wrote Fox Sports commentator and former footballer Robbie Slater.
Fox Sports commentator and former footballer Robbie Slater weighed in to criticise the deplorable broadcast
Optus won the rights to broadcast all 64 games of the World Cup to Australian audiences via their mobile and online streaming services for the first time this year
On Saturday, Optus blamed other providers for the technical problems, claiming its network did not have any issues.
An Optus spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia they did not identify any issues with their own network on Saturday night.
Football fans took to Twitter using the hashtag ‘#Floptus’, detailing their struggles to watch the game using the Optus app.
Some customers have called for compensation and argued Optus should be fined.
Up until recently free-to-air broadcaster SBS traditionally held the rights to the broadcast, however, this year the network will only be showing one live match a day.
Fans have paid $14.99 a month for an Optus Sport subscription to watch the rest of the games.
With the tournament spanning more than a month, viewers have forked out $30 to watch all the games live.
Scores of other fans aired their grievances on Twitter as the subscription-only broadcast appeared to trip at the first hurdle
A user who paid $14.99 per month to watch the World Cup on the Optus Sports Premium told the Herald Sun customers should be eligible for a refund
An Optus spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia they did not identify any issues with their own network on Saturday night
Optus won the rights to broadcast all 64 games of the World Cup to Australian audiences via their mobile and online streaming services for the first time this year
Day-by-Day
*All times listed below are in AEST
Group Stage Fixtures
Friday 15th June
- Russia vs Saudi Arabia (Group A) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 1am
- Egypt vs Uruguay (Group A) – Ekaterinburg – 10pm
Saturday 16th June
- Morocco vs Iran (Group B) – St Petersburg – 1am
- Portugal vs Spain (Group B) – Sochi – 4am
- France vs Australia (Group C) – Kazan – 8pm
- Argentina vs Iceland (Group D) – Moscow (Spartak) – 11pm
Sunday 17th June
- Peru vs Denmark (Group C) – Saransk – 2am
- Croatia vs Nigeria (Group D) – Kaliningrad – 5am
- Costa Rica vs Serbia (Group E) – Samara – 10pm
Monday 18th June
- Germany vs Mexico (Group F) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 1am
- Brazil vs Switzerland (Group E) – Rostov-on-Don – 4am
- Sweden vs South Korea (Group F) – Nizhny Novgorod – 10pm
Tuesday 19th June
- Belgium vs Panama (Group G) – Sochi – 1am
- Tunisia vs England (Group G) – Volgograd – 4am
- Colombia vs Japan (Group H) – Saransk – 10pm
Wednesday 20th June
- Poland vs Senegal (Group H) – Moscow (Spartak) – 1am
- Russia vs Egypt (Group A) – St Petersburg – 4am
- Portugal vs Morocco (Group B) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 10pm
Thursday 21st June
- Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia (Group A) – Rostov-on-Don – 1am
- Iran vs Spain (Group B) – Kazan – 4am
- Denmark vs Australia (Group C) – Samara – 10pm
Friday 22nd June
- France vs Peru (Group C) – Ekaterinburg – 1am
- Argentina vs Croatia (Group D) – Nizhny Novgorod – 4am
- Brazil vs Costa Rica (Group E) – St Petersburg – 10pm
Saturday 23rd June
- Nigeria vs Iceland (Group D) – Volgograd – 1am
- Serbia vs Switzerland (Group E) – Kaliningrad – 4am
- Belgium vs Tunisia (Group G) – Moscow (Spartak) – 10pm
Sunday 24th June
- South Korea vs Mexico (Group F) – Rostov-on-Don – 1am
- Germany v Sweden (Group F) – Sochi – 4am
- England v Panama (Group G) – Nizhny Novgorod – 10pm
Monday 25th June
- Japan vs Senegal (Group H) – Ekaterinburg – 1am
- Poland vs Colombia (Group H) – Kazan – 4am
Tuesday 26th June
- Uruguay vs Russia (Group A) – Samara – 12am
- Saudi Arabia vs Egypt (Group A) – Volgograd – 12am
- Spain vs Morocco (Group B) – Kaliningrad – 4am
- Iran vs Portugal (Group B) – Saransk – 4am
Wednesday 27th June
- Denmark vs France (Group C) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 12am
- Australia vs Peru (Group C) – Sochi – 12am
- Nigeria vs Argentina (Group D) – St Petersburg – 4am
- Iceland vs Croatia (Group D) – Rostov-on-Don – 4am
Thursday 28th June
- South Korea vs Germany (Group F) – Kazan – 12am
- Mexico vs Sweden (Group F) – Ekaterinburg – 12am
- Serbia vs Brazil (Group E) – Moscow (Spartak) – 4am
- Switzerland vs Costa Rica (Group E) – Nizhny Novgorod – 4am
Friday 29th June
- Japan vs Poland (Group H) – Volgograd – 12am
- Senegal vs Colombia (Group H) – Samara – 12am
- England v Belgium (Group G) – Kaliningrad – 4am
- Panama vs Tunisia (Group G) – Saransk – 4am
Group-by-Group
*All times listed below are in AEST
Group A
Friday 15th June
- Russia vs Saudi Arabia, Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, 1am
- Egypt vs Uruguay, Central Stadium, Yekaterinburg, 10pm
Wednesday 20th June
- Russia vs Egypt, Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, 4am
Thursday 21st June
- Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia, Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don, 1am
Tuesday 26th June
- Uruguay vs Russia, Cosmos Arena, Samara, 12am
- Saudi Arabia vs Egypt, Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, 12am
Group B
Saturday 16th June
- Morocco vs Iran, Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, 1am
- Portugal vs Spain, Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, 7pm – 4am
Wednesday 20th June
- Portugal Morocco, Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, 10pm
Thursday 21st June
- Iran vs Spain, Kazan Arena, Kazan, 4am
Tuesday 26th June
- Iran vs Portugal, Mordovia Arena, Saransk, 4am
- Spain vs Morocco, Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad, 4am
Group C
Saturday 16th June
- France vs Australia, Kazan Arena, Kazan, 10pm
Sunday 17th June
- Peru vs Denmark, Mordovia Arena, Saransk, 2am
Thursday 21st June
- Denmark vs Australia, Cosmos Arena, Samara, 10pm
Friday 22nd June
- France vs Peru, Central Stadium, Ekaterinburg, 1am
Wednesday 27th June
- Denmark vs France, Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, 12am
- Australia vs Peru, Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, 12am
Group D
Saturday 16th June
- Argentina vs Iceland, Spartak Stadium, Moscow, 11pm
Sunday 17th June
- Croatia vs Nigeria, Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad, 5am
Friday 22nd June
- Argentina vs Croatia, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod, 4am
Saturday 23rd June
- Nigeria vs Iceland, Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, 1am
Wednesday 27th June
- Nigeria v Argentina, Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, 4am
- Iceland v Croatia, Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don, 4am
Group E
Sunday 17th June
- Costa Rica vs Serbia, Cosmos Arena, Samara, 10pm
Monday 18th June
- Brazil vs Switzerland, Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don, 4am
Friday 22nd June
- Brazil vs Costa Rica, Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, 10pm
Saturday 23rd June
- Serbia vs Switzerland, Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad, 4am
Thursday 28th June
- Serbia vs Brazil, Spartak Stadium, Moscow, 4am
- Switzerland vs Costa Rica, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod, 4am
Group F
Monday 18th June
- Germany vs Mexico, Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, 1am
Monday 18th June
- Sweden vs South Korea, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod, 10pm
Sunday 24th June
- South Korea vs Mexico, Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don, 1am
- Germany vs Sweden, Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, 4am
Thursday 28th June
- South Korea vs Germany, Kazan Arena, Kazan, 12am
- Mexico vs Sweden, Central Stadium, Ekaterinburg, 12am
Group G
Tuesday 19th June
- Belgium vs Panama, Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, 1am
- Tunisia vs England, Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, 4am
Saturday 23rd June
- Belgium vs Tunisia, Spartak Stadium, Moscow, 10pm
Sunday 24th June
- England vs Panama, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod, 10pm
Friday 29th June
- England vs Belgium, Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad, 4am
- Panama vs Tunisia, Mordovia Arena, Saransk, 4am
Group H
Tuesday 19th June
- Poland vs Senegal, Spartak Stadium, Moscow, 10pm
Wednesday 20th June
- Colombia vs Japan, Mordovia Arena, Saransk, 1am
Monday 25th June
- Japan vs Senegal, Central Stadium, Ekaterinburg, 1am
- Poland vs Colombia, Kazan Arena, Kazan, 4am
Friday 29th June
- Japan vs Poland, Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, 12am
- Senegal vs Colombia, Cosmos Arena, Samara, 12am
Knockout Stage Fixtures
Round of 16
Sunday July 1
- Group C winner vs Group D runner-up – Kazan, 12am (Match 50)
- Group A winner vs Group B runner-up- Sochi, 4am (Match 49)
Monday 2nd July
- Group B winner vs Group A runner-up- Moscow (Luzhniki), 1am (Match 51)
- Group D winner vs Group C runner-up – Nizhny Novgorod, 4am (Match 52)
Tuesday 3rd July
- Group E winner vs Group F runner-up – Samara, 12am (Match 53)
- Group G winner vs Group H runner-up – Rostov-on-Don, 4am (Match 54)
Wednesday 4th July
- Group F winner vs Group E runner-up – St Petersburg 12am (Match 55)
- Group H winner vs Group G runner-up – Moscow (Spartak), 4am (Match 56)
Quarter-Final
Saturday 7th July
- Winner match 49 vs Winner match 50 – Nizhny Novgorod, 12am
- Winner match 53 vs Winner match 54 – Kazan, 4am
Sunday 8th July
- Winner match 55 vs Winner match 56 – Samara, 12am
- Winner match 51 vs Winner match 52 – Sochi, 4am
Semi-Final
Wednesday 11th July
- Winner match 57 vs Winner match 58 – St Petersburg, 4am (Match 61)
Thursday 12th July
- Winner match 59 vs Winner match 60 – Moscow (Luzhniki), 4am (Match 62)
Third Place Play-Off
Sunday 15th July
- Loser match 61 vs Loser match 62 – St Petersburg, 12am (Match 63)
World Cup 2018 Final
Monday 16th July
- Winner match 61 vs Winner match 62 – Moscow (Luzhniki), 1am (Match 64)