FIFA has put the 2030 and 2034 men’s World Cup U.S. media rights up for auction. Bids are due November 19, and with partners able to add the 2034 tournament to their bids.
What We Know: FIFA launched its tender Thursday, marking its first U.S. men’s World Cup rights sale since 2011. Meanwhile, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon and Disney have all shown interest, according to CNBC. FOX Sports paid $425 million for 2026, and that tournament shattered U.S. viewership records. In fact, matches averaged 13.5 million viewers, up 166% from 2022.
What They Said: FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai: “We want to be flexible. We expect a big number of participants, both from the linear side and from the streamer side, but we want to listen to what is relevant for them, and then we can build up the best case together.”
What Remains Unclear: It’s unclear what the rights for either or a combined package could warrant. Several estimates have the total in the $1-2 billion range. Time zones could play a factor, but it’s unknown if networks could shy away because of the challenges of live programming in off hours for US audiences.
What It Means: Looking ahead, FIFA says it would prefer one partner holding both English and Spanish rights. There’s also the argument about streaming matches for free online, whether or not networks would allow or prefer that option. The next four weeks will bring plenty of rumor, but the proof of concept that the 2026 tournament provided should warrant a high price tag. It should be noted the Netflix already has large investments in the FIFA 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cup as well as rights to broadcast the 2030 men’s tournament in Spain and Andorra.
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