FOX Sports is reportedly paying less than $500 million for the FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast rights this summer. According to reporting from the New York Times, the rights trace back to a secret meeting in 2014. Industry analysts say the deal is worth two to three times what FOX is actually paying for this year’s tournament.
What We Know: FOX Corporation is reportedly paying less than $500 million to broadcast the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That figure has not been officially released by FOX or FIFA. Industry analysts value those rights between $1 billion and $1.5 billion. FOX plans to air 70 matches on its flagship network and 34 more on FS1, covering all 104 games total. Additionally, every match will stream live on the FOX One app and FOX Sports app — no cable subscription required.
What’s At Stake: According to the reporting by the New York Times, a meeting was held by FIFA’s board in March of 2014. In that meeting, which included some of the most powerful figures in soccer. A decision worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the sport’s governing body was needed to make a “problem go away.” According to the Times, that problem surrounded FIFA choosing Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup. Because of the hot summers that Qatar presents, FIFA moved the tournament to the late fall. Reportedly against language in regards to the agreed $425 million paid out by FOX for a “summer date” tournament.
To avoid legal action by FOX, former FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke reportedly made the deal’s terms unmistakably clear in an inquiry. “We agreed that we will extend with FOX for the same price as what they pay for 2022 plus inflation costs,” Valcke said about the rights for the 2026 tournament.
He further acknowledged the financial hit. “Potentially we are losing money and we are making less money because we are not running an open process in the U.S. market. Giving a chance to other channels to bid for and we just extend with FOX for the same amount of money.”
What Remains Unclear: Neither FOX nor FIFA has officially confirmed the exact dollar figure. Neither entity has commented publicly on the reporting.
What It Means: FOX essentially turned a scheduling dispute into a decade-long financial windfall. FIFA’s 2014 decision to move Qatar’s World Cup to November-December collided directly with FOX’s NFL rights — giving FOX legal leverage. Moreover, the no-bid extension locked in below-market rates just before U.S. soccer’s commercial value exploded. If the reporting is correct, the 2026 World Cup isn’t just a broadcast. It’s a bargain for FOX Sports that competitors may never see replicated again.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
