FOOTBALL fans will have to pay more to get their weekly fix of quality matches on television, but that's the reality they will have to live with.

The Media Development Authority (MDA) has said it will not intervene even though fans have to dig deeper into their pockets for pay-TV subscriptions to matches like the English Premier League (EPL) and Champions League.

This comes as pay-TV powerhouse StarHub and SingTel's fledgling mio TV battle it out for football telecast rights.

MDA's stand is that the free market approach is the right one, and competition is the way to go.

Read the full story in tomorrow's edition of The Sunday Times.