Club World Cup Chaos: FIFA Scrambles to Secure TV Deals
Club World Cup Chaos: FIFA Scrambles to Secure TV Deals
TV rights to the tournament still haven’t been sold, and FIFA is running out of time.
FIFA is having an awfully difficult time getting the ball down the pitch with its expanded Club World Cup tournament. The tournament has been around since 2000, but in June 2025, the international football governing body was set to dramatically expand the event in hopes of making it a major staple in the sporting and television calendars. However, FIFA still has not lined up a single broadcaster for the tournament, and executives are getting worried. The Athletic reports that FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called an emergency meeting with global television executives in hopes of solving the problem with fewer than 10 months until the tournament is officially set to begin.
Key Details:
- Apple was in talks to secure the Club World Cup rights but balked at a reported asking price of $4 billion.
- Executives are in doubt over the true value of the rights; one broadcaster pegged the North American rights as worth only $30 million.
- Sponsors, venues, broadcasters, and other important details are also still yet to be determined.
FIFA’s dreams of a Club World Cup that would feature top teams from around the globe like Paris St. Germain, Manchester City, and others have quickly turned into a nightmare. Finding broadcast partners for the event is a much more difficult prospect than anticipated, and The Athletic reports that FIFA officials have a wildly different idea as to the value of the tournament’s rights than global broadcasters do.
That has been the case for some time. Apple had been in talks with FIFA for rights to the tournament as far back as April, but in June those discussions fell through. FIFA was reportedly seeking a deal worth as much as $4 billion for global tournament rights, whereas Apple drew the line at around $1 billion.
FIFA opened the bidding to other parties after negotiations with Apple ground to a halt, but, two months after doing so, there has been little movement. That’s why Infantino called an emergency meeting with broadcasters for Friday.
Is Club World Cup a Ticking Time Bomb?
The hold-up on TV deals for the Club World Cup is causing a ripple effect for FIFA, which explains why it’s so eager to have the issue resolved. The tournament still has to line up venues, sponsors, practice facilities, and broadcasters for the event, and some of these crucial items can’t be accomplished until TV partners are known.
Sponsors, for example, need to know who will be televising the tournament in order to determine how much exposure their products and services will get. Clubs are also trying to find out what kind of prize money will be tendered for their involvement, and money brought in from TV partners is a key piece of that equation.
One broadcaster with a significant sports portfolio already has significant doubts about the value of the tournament’s rights and has appraised the North American rights to be worth no more than $30 million. President of CBS Sports David Berson said his company is “thrilled with the portfolio we have” when it comes to European soccer, and there simply isn’t a ton of extra money floating around for expensive new sports deals among broadcasters.
Three big player unions from Europe have filed legal challenges against the tournament, arguing that adding another month to the end of their seasons is in violation of their rights under European Union law.
In short, the Club World Cup is facing pressure from all sides, and has some critical questions to answer in the coming weeks. There is just not that much time left until the tournament is scheduled to begin, and if it ends up collapsing under the weight of its unsolved problems, it could be one of the biggest boondoggles in FIFA complicated and controversial history.
Apple TV
Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.