Argentine state in football deal

Ms Fernandez said everyone should be able to watch football matches

The Argentine government has intervened in a funding crisis that has delayed the opening of the football season.

It will give the Argentine Football Association (ASA) $155m (£94m) for broadcasting rights, more than double what private companies were paying.

The country's football season had been delayed indefinitely after many heavily-indebted clubs failed to reach an agreement with commercial channels.

President Cristina Fernandez said the deal made the country more democratic.

The government intervention will enable football to be shown on terrestrial channels for free.

"Today is a historic day for football, for the AFA, for Argentines and for the possibility of living in a more just and democratic society," Ms Fernandez said.

"It's not good that only those who can pay can watch football."

The AFA had been seeking ways of finding money to help clubs out of millions of dollars in debt - some had been unable to pay their players for months.

Last week, AFA President Julio Grondona announced he had torn up the existing contract with the body owning the broadcast rights.

The BBC's Candace Piette in Buenos Aires says opposition politicians are angry the government could be putting state funds into soccer at a time when there are concerns about increasing poverty.

The first game of the delayed season takes place on Friday.