Australian pay-television operator Foxtel has failed to make its final rights fee instalment for this season's A-League, it has been claimed, reports SportBusiness.

The payment of around A$12m ($7.6m/€7m) to Football Federation Australia was due this week but was not paid, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Foxtel is in the midst of a six-year rights agreement covering the 2017-18 to 2022-23 seasons that is worth an average of A$57.7m per year. The deal allows Fox Sports to broadcast the A-League, the women's W-League, and Australian men's and women's national team matches on Foxtel's linear television and streaming platforms.

The A-League remains suspended because of the Covid-19 pandemic and there is no date for the 2019-20 season to resume.

Both Foxtel and FFA have declined to comment on the future of their broadcast deal but it is reported that the two will meet in the coming days in an attempt to resolve the stand-off. The FFA is said to have sought legal advice from Australian barrister Bret Walker.

FFA is scheduled to provide an update to the A-League suspension on April 22.