The recent response from Melgar to the FPF, published on its social networks, once again raises the tension between the Arequipa club and the national football leadership. “How efficient management can be when one wants to. We would love for the Peruvian Football Federation to respond with the same speed and firmness when its commercial partners owe us. It will be 3 years without a solution or support. We continue waiting”stated the club, in a direct message on social networks that shows its disagreement with the lack of payments for television rights from 2023.
The claim of Melgar not only points to the delay in payments, but also to the lack of institutional support of the FPF in the face of non-compliance with 1190 Sportsthe company in charge of broadcasting League 1.
Ricardo Bettocchi, club administrator, has publicly reiterated that Melgar It is the only team that has not received any subscription under the current model, which was imposed by the federation after the change in management of the tournament’s audiovisual rights.
The Peruvian Football Federation responded to the statements of Álvaro Barco—who described the championship as a “corpse”—defending his work in managing the Liga 1. According to the FPF, The organization of the tournament and the decentralization of television rights have generated greater income and a more valuable product for the clubs. The official statement states that “income from television rights increased by 20% for each club” and that the federation assumed previously neglected operating costs.
However, Melgar maintains that reality is different. Its administrator, Bettocchi, denounced that the FPF forced them to sign a contract with 1190 Sportsdespite the fact that the model had “obvious flaws” and did not offer real payment guarantees. “We have not received any payment for television rights in the last two years,” the leader insisted, stressing that the situation would be different if it were another club with greater media weight.
The problem is worsened by the lack of viable alternatives for the affected clubs. Before agreement with 1190 Sportsthe payments were guaranteed directly by the television station; Now, the clubs were exposed to the risk of non-payment and uncertainty about the continuity of transmissions.
He conflict between Melgar and the FPF It is one of the clearest examples of the difficulties that Peruvian football is going through in the era of decentralization of audiovisual rights. The lack of payment by 1190 Sports—which, according to reports, has a debt of more than 60 days with several clubs—has generated concern in the FPF itself, which now requires the company to fulfill its commitments as a condition for all teams to participate in the Liga 1 2026 under the sign of L1 Max.
The situation threatens to affect the start of the championship and has opened the door to new agreements with other channels, such as the recent agreement between TV Perú and Universitario de Deportes for the transmission of emblematic matches. The federation has even suggested that, if non-compliance persists, it could free clubs to negotiate their television rights independently.
Melgarfirm in its claim, warns about the consequences of a system that does not protect clubs and whose viability is in question. The tension remains in the run-up to the 2026 Copa Sudamericana and the expectation for the ‘southern classic’, while the red and black club insists on the need for the FPF to assume its responsibility and resolve a debt that, according to its leaders, puts the financial and sporting stability of the institution at risk.
