Friday 12 June 2026 11:52 am
| Updated:
Friday 12 June 2026 11:55 am
World Cup games are being streamed on YouTube and TikTok for the first time
The 2026 World Cup could erode the price that Fifa can command for its media rights as YouTube and TikTok compete directly with traditional broadcasters, analysts have warned.This World Cup, which kicked off last night, is the first in which YouTube and TikTok will both stream the first 10 minutes of every game and full coverage of selected fixtures.The move pits them directly against the broadcasters who pay billions to Fifa and, if successful in reaching younger, digitally native audiences, may fundamentally shift the revenue model.“Broadcast rights remain the bedrock of sports IP, with global TV revenues for Fifa projected to eclipse $6bn by 2030,” Imtiaz Khan, a director at investment bank Houlihan Lokey, told City AM. “However, 2026 introduces the integration of live match segments onto platforms like YouTube and TikTok. This is the first time we will see traditional, exclusive broadcast models compete directly with algorithmic digital distribution during the same time windows. “The data generated from this tension should set the new benchmark for how rights holders price exclusivity versus audience reach in the future.”The granular engagement data generated by YouTube and TikTok will allow Fifa to assess whether the platforms have cannibalised their audience or added incremental viewership.Should viewership be up, the platforms could have more rights – and pay for them – at future World Cups. If audience is stable or down, it could dent the value of the rights altogether.Can Fifa fully monetise digitally native World Cup fans?Houlihan Lokey’s report on the 2026 World Cup, Reshaping the Sports IP Playbook, says: “The mere existence of platform partnerships signals Fifa cannot fully monetize digital natives through legacy broadcast alone, which serves as a key valuation input for future cycles.”This tournament “sets the precedent for platforms as quasi-rights holders,” it adds. “Today: licensees with limited rights. Tomorrow: counterparties with leverage. The 2026 outcome is expected to influence which trajectory plays out.”The 2026 World Cup – taking place across the US, Mexico and Canada – could also shape the future value of Fifa’s betting data and sponsorship rights, IP valuation expert Khan said.“What happens over the next month will influence how investors, rights holders, and sponsors value sports assets for the next decade,” he added. “For years, sports valuations relied on federations holding absolute control over broadcast and commercial rights but 2026 marks a structural shift. “With matches streaming via social algorithms and athlete-owned brands operating as standalone enterprises, we are seeing value migrate outward. “This cycle will provide the first hard data on whether premium sports IP can maintain its historic valuation multiples when the governing body no longer controls the entire ecosystem.”
