Here’s a true surprise. No one was expecting the shocking announcement from FIFA that it’s extending the current media rights agreements in North America with Fox and Telemundo in the United States and CTV/TSN in Canada for another cycle through 2026. Fox and Telemundo have yet to air a World Cup and CTV/TSN is preparing to air this year’s Women’s World Cup in its home country.
It’s interesting how this occurred without any formal bidding which could have had ESPN and NBC and maybe beIN Sports as interested parties for the English rights against Fox and ESPN and Univision vying for the Spanish-language rights against NBC’s Telemundo. Instead, FIFA elected to extend the North American partners’ agreements. The current agreement ran through the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Now Fox, Telemundo and CTV/TSN will get another WC cycle at countries yet to be determined
There are a couple of factors at play here. One, this is a make-up for the North American partners having to air the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in the winter against what will be a crowded sports landscape (NFL, college basketball and college football postseason in the U.S. and NHL in Canada). And two, FIFA may have tipped its hand by possibly bringing a men’s World Cup to North America.
We have the official announcement from FIFA.
FIFA places media rights in US and Canada until 2026
FIFA has extended its media rights agreements in the United States and Canada for its tournaments up to and including the 2026 FIFA World Cup™. These extensions give Fox (English language) and NBCUniversal’s Telemundo (Spanish language) in the United States and CTV/TSN in Canada exclusive broadcast rights to FIFA competitions during this period.
The extended agreements cover the following tournaments in addition to the 2026 FIFA World Cup: FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 and 2025, FIFA U-17 World Cup 2023 and 2025, FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2023 and 2025, FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024, FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2024 and 2026, FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024 and 2026, and FIFA Confederations Cup 2025.
“These agreements guarantee wide distribution for FIFA tournaments across the US and Canada. Together, we will be able to further promote football in North America and build on the impressive interest shown by audiences in these major territories during the 2014 FIFA World Cup,” said FIFA Director of TV Niclas Ericson.
Fox has issued a statement on keeping the World Cup through 2026:
We are truly honored that FIFA has elected to extend FOX Sports’ rights to the portfolio of FIFA events including the FIFA World Cup™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup™ through 2026. These events are some of the world’s most important sports competitions, and it is our privilege to be entrusted with these rights in the United States. We’re looking forward to the kick-off of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015™ in June with great anticipation.
No financial terms were disclosed, but you can be well assured that FIFA Dictator Sepp Blatter will be getting his money one way or another.
