GENEVA (AP) — FIFA finally sealed a World Cup broadcast rights deal for China on Friday, just 27 days before the opening game and at a much lower reported price than the soccer body wanted.The overall agreement with China Media Group covered the next four World Cups — two each of the men’s and women’s — through 2031, FIFA said in a statement. It includes the 48-team, 104-game men’s tournament in North America starting on June 11 that China did not qualify for.Chinese state-affiliated media reported on Friday the 2026 World Cup rights were valued at $60 million.FIFA originally sought $300 million, Chinese media reported in recent weeks as the deadline to strike a deal drew closer.A rights deal for India has not been confirmed.“It’s a real pleasure that we have found an agreement with CMG,” FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström said in the soccer body’s statement. He was in China this week, also for meetings with officials from the Chinese soccer federation.
FIFA’s leverage in China was less because of the time difference of up to 15 hours from Beijing to the 16 host cities spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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