FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, has today (August 14) launched two separate invitations to tender (ITT) in Australia for media rights to the men’s World Cup in 2026 and Women’s World Cup in 2027.
The respective tender processes also allow for the opportunity to bid for the 2030 World Cup and 2031 Women’s World Cup.
Companies interested in participating in either or both of the tender processes can request the ITTs by emailing Australiamediarights@fifa.org.
A deadline of 10AM (CEST) on September 19 has been set for bids to be submitted.
FIFA said the tender processes will allow it to “select those entities who are best placed to secure the required transmission and production commitments to achieve FIFA’s objectives of reaching the widest possible audience whilst providing a high-quality viewing experience for fans.”
The 2026 World Cup will be the 23rd edition of the showpiece competition and will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the USA.
The tournament will be the first to feature 48 teams and have a total of 104 matches spread over an extended competition window of five-and-a-half weeks.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup is currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand, with the final set to be played on August 20.
The expanded 32-team tournament has generated record audiences for local broadcasters. It is being shown in Australia by telecoms firm by Optus and commercial broadcaster Seven Network, while rights in New Zealand are held by Sky New Zealand, the leading pay-television broadcaster.
Public-service broadcaster SBS, meanwhile, showed the 2022 men’s World Cup in Australia.
The bidding process for the 2027 edition of the Women’s World Cup is already underway, with the host(s) expected to be announced in May 2024.
Image: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
