It’s one of the biggest sporting events on the planet and in a growing market for new fans, football’s global governing body has cut a media rights deal for the 2026 World Cup over a decade ahead of the tournament.
FIFA extended its North American media rights agreements — handing Fox the English language deal and NBCUniversal’s Telemundo the Spanish language rights — for an event in which the 2026 host nation has still to be determined.
“These agreements guarantee wide distribution for FIFA tournaments across the U.S. and Canada,” said FIFA Director of TV Niclas Ericson in a statement.
“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.”
–
Is it me (as a recent FOX Sports employee…) or did that FIFA American TV rights extension come completely out of nowhere? Heard no talk…
The 2014 World Cup final between Argentina and Germany was watched by an estimated 26.5 million in the U.S. which was up 7% on the 2010 figures.
“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,” Fox said in a statement.
