FIFA is gearing up to open bidding for media rights to the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, and US media rights alone are projected at $1.5 to $2 billion per tournament, a staggering leap from the roughly $485 million Fox Sports paid for English-language rights to the 2026 edition.
The bidding process is expected to launch shortly after the 2026 World Cup wraps up.
The bidders and the battlefield
The lineup of companies expected to compete includes Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and YouTube (Alphabet’s streaming play) alongside traditional heavyweights like Disney’s ESPN, Fox, and NBCUniversal’s Telemundo.
ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro has already confirmed his company’s interest in securing the rights.
