GENEVA (AP) — FIFA has signed a U.S. broadcast cope with Netflix for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil in addition to the 2031 edition, which might be played within the United States
The deal announced on Friday is probably the most significant FIFA has signed with a streaming service for a significant tournament. The value was not stated, although international competitions in women's football have struggled to draw quality offers.
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World Cups are typically broadcast on free-to-air public channels to succeed in the most important possible audience, and the last women's edition in 2023 earned FIFA lower than 10% of the 2022 men's World Cup.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino had publicly criticized public broadcastersparticularly in Europe, attributable to undervalued offers to broadcast the 2023 tournament, which was held in Australia and New Zealand. This tournament was broadcast by Fox within the USA
“This agreement sends a strong signal about the true value of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and global women’s football,” Infantino said in a press release on Friday.
FIFA will likely use the Netflix deal to advance talks with European broadcasters, that are more likely to be tough negotiations.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire, co-host of The Price of Football podcast, said the deal was “a bit of a gamble” for FIFA and “saber rattling” for Infantino.
“As (Netflix) gains experience in broadcasting football, FIFA can say: 'We're now working with a blue-chip organization, so watch out, you evil Europeans,'” Maguire, a tutorial on the University of Liverpool, said in a telephone interview.
FIFA and Infantino also wish to increase broadcast contract prices to fund higher prize money and shut the gender pay gap at the lads's World Cup.
At the 2022 Men's World Cup in Qatar, the 32 team associations shared prize money of $440 million. For the Women's tournament 2023FIFA had a complete fund of $152 million for prize money, contributions to team preparation costs and payments to players' clubs.
In FIFA's Financial accounts for 2023The Football Association reported total broadcast revenue of $244 million. In the 12 months of the 2022 Men's World Cup, it was almost $2.9 billion.
The next Women's World Cup can be a 32-team, 64-game tournament in 2027, played from June 24 to July 25 in Brazil Original US bid along with Mexico.
The 2031 host has not yet been decided, although the United States will likely bid for a tournament that FIFA expects to expand to 48 teams. That would match the scale of the 104-game format of the lads's World Cup, which can debut in 2026 within the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup after the United States won the previous two titles – 2019 in France and 2015 in Canada.
“Bringing this iconic tournament to Netflix isn’t just about streaming games,” said Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer. “It’s also about celebrating the players, culture and passion that are driving the rise of women’s sport around the world.”
Netflix entered live sports last month, with greater than 60 million households watching heavily hyped boxing match between retired heavyweight legend Mike Tyson and social media personality Jake Paul. Some spectators spoke up Streaming problemsHowever.
Netflix will even broadcast two NFL games on Christmas Day: the Kansas City Chiefs on the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens on the Houston Texans. That's a part of it a three-year contract announced in May.
FIFA has been attempting to win an exclusive global cope with Apple+ to broadcast the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup, which can be played in 11 U.S. cities next June and July.
Broadcasters showed little interest within the FIFA club event, which is now being broadcast freed from charge on the streaming service DAZN, which is constructing closer business ties with Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of the following Women's World Cup, Netflix will “produce exclusive documentary series in the lead-up to both tournaments, spotlighting the world's best players, their journey and the global growth of women's football,” FIFA said.
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