ALGIERS, June 8: Algeria will subsidise the price of satellite TV decoder cards for World Cup soccer fans amid fears that state terrestrial television coverage will be restricted to excerpts, official media said on Thursday.

Like other nations in the region, Algeria has yet to strike a deal with Arab Radio and Television (ART), a firm which holds transmission rights in the region, for broadcasting all of the tournament on its state network.

State radio and the government daily El Moujahid said the government would arrange for 360,000 special ART decoder cards to be sold at post offices from Thursday at the equivalent of $28, for a one-month subscription.

The decoders normally go for $125, an impossible sum for many in a country suffering serious unemployment and poverty.

State media said the move was on the orders of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

In the absence of an agreement with ART, Algerian state television will be allowed to broadcast only a 20 minute summary of each match.

In Morocco, which finds itself in the same situation as Algeria, many are expected to watch the matches at cafes that have bought ART decoders. The cafes are expected to charge customers about 20 dirhams (about $2) to watch matches.

Many Moroccans said they would also tune into German TV channels which will be allowed to broadcast the games freely as Germany hosts the tournament, even though few understand German.

In Tunisia, whose national team is participating, state television will be allowed by ART to broadcast the opening ceremony, the matches involving Tunisia, plus the semifinal and the final.—Reuters