FIFA Opens Bidding for U.S. Media Rights to the 2030 World Cup, With a 2034 Option; Bids Due November 19
FIFA on October 22 formally opened bidding for the United States and Puerto Rico media rights to the 2030 World Cup, with an option for bidders to also secure the 2034 edition. The submission deadline is November 19, and FIFA said it is open to innovative approaches to reaching large audiences.
The 2030 tournament will be hosted mainly by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with centenary celebration matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay; Saudi Arabia will host in 2034. According to FIFA, the 2026 World Cup averaged 13.5 million viewers per match in the United States across linear and streaming platforms, up 166% on the 2022 tournament in Qatar. The incumbent U.S. rightsholders are Fox for English-language coverage and Telemundo for Spanish.
FIFA chief business officer Romy Gai said the governing body hopes to select a partner before the end of the year. Media executives have estimated the rights could fetch $1.5 billion to $2 billion, with one report putting the package as high as $4 billion; potential bidders include ESPN, Netflix, Amazon, YouTube and incumbents Fox and Telemundo. (GSM, via Reuters reports)
Source: GSM · U.S.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 位于瑞士苏黎世的国际足联总部大楼。 Photo: albinfo / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
