FIFA Prepares Multi-Billion Dollar US Broadcast Rights Bidding for 2030 and 2034 World Cups
FIFA is set to officially begin negotiations within the next three months for the US broadcast rights of the 2030 and 2034 World Cups. This move anticipates formal bids opening in about six to eight months, with companies budgeting between $1.5 billion and $2 billion per tournament for US rights alone, a sharp increase from current deals. For the first time, FIFA is considering packaging English and Spanish language rights together as a single American bundle, a strategy expected to drive up bid amounts.
The bidding war is intensifying as streaming and tech platforms like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, and Apple explore entering the competition, challenging traditional broadcasters such as Fox, which currently holds English-language US rights for the 2026 tournament. On the Spanish-language side, NBC Universal’s Telemundo secured 2026 rights through a no-bid extension. Previously, Telemundo paid $600 million and Fox $485 million for their respective language rights for the current World Cup, amounts FIFA expects to significantly exceed this time.
Recent US viewership records highlight the growing value of these rights. The US victory over Bosnia set a record for the most-watched soccer broadcast in English in US history, averaging over 26 million viewers on Fox Sports, plus nearly 10 million on Telemundo and Peacock. The US-Belgium match drew an estimated combined audience of 47.9 million across English and Spanish broadcasts. These figures rival NFL playoff viewership, signaling sustained peak interest through 2030 and 2034 despite time zone challenges.
The 2030 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, while Saudi Arabia will host in 2034, both presenting significant time differences for US audiences compared to the current tournament. The broadcast landscape is evolving, with Netflix having acquired US and Canadian rights for the 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cups, marking a shift toward direct investment in major global soccer properties after years of focusing on original content.
