Rights in Uzbekistan to the previous men’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar were held by NTRC. (AFC)

Global soccer governing body FIFA has launched an invitation to tender (ITT) covering media rights to the men’s 2026 World Cup and 2024 Futsal World Cup in five Central Asian countries.

The tender covers Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, with first-round bids to be submitted by 10am (CET) on January 30.

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FIFA said those broadcasters and media companies wishing to participate in the ITT should contact FWC26-media-rights@fifa.org.

The 2026 World Cup is set to take place in Mexico, the US, and Canada and feature a record 48 teams – up from the 32 teams that participated in the last men’s World Cup in Qatar. The expansion will guarantee that eight Asian countries will participate in the final tournament, with one extra able to qualify through a play-off.

The Asian Football Confederation was previously only allotted four places, with one extra place offered through a play-off.

Out of the tendered markets, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan compete in AFC qualifying. Kazakhstan, meanwhile, competes as part of the UEFA European qualifiers, which have been awarded 16 slots at the 2026 World Cup.

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During the previous men’s World Cup 2022 in Qatar, Saran Media Group held distribution rights in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan through a deal brokered by the international sports agency Infront.

The rights were then distributed to public broadcasters NTRK (Kyrgyzstan), Varzish TV (Tajikistan), and NTRC (Uzbekistan). World Cup coverage in Kazakhstan, meanwhile, was supplied by state broadcaster KZTV, as part of the European Broadcasting Unions’ deal with FIFA.

The ITT also includes rights to this year’s Futsal World Cup, which is being hosted by Uzbekistan from September 14 to October 6. The upcoming edition will feature 24 teams.

Last week, FIFA launched its ITT in France, Monaco, Andorra, and the French overseas territories for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups.

The 2030 edition will primarily be held in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, but three matches will be staged in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay as part of a centenary celebration ceremony to mark 100 years since the first-ever World Cup took place.

The governing body also recently opened two tender processes in sub-Saharan Africa covering media rights to the men’s 2026 World Cup and 2027 Women’s World Cup, as well as tenders covering the same two tournaments and editions in 2030 and 2031 in South Korea.