Spanish public-service broadcaster RTVE and sports rights holding agency Mediapro have tied up TV rights for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 showpiece soccer competition after a competitive tender process.

FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, tendered the rights to the 2026 and 2030 World Cups in Spain back in January 2025, with a deadline for bid submissions of 10am (Central European Time) on February 18.

Now, RTVE has won the rights to free-to-air coverage in the country for the 2026 edition, reportedly bidding €55 million ($60.1 million) to secure the package - more than other private operators. 

This will likely be delivered via RTVE’s primary La 1 and secondary La 2 channels, as well as its Teledeporte network.

Mediapro, meanwhile, may set up its own network to deliver its slate of rights, or more likely, could sublicense its games to a provider such as pay-TV service Movistar.

No details were released on how the rights would be split between the two.

The 2026 tournament, hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico,  will be the first edition of the World Cup to feature as many as 48 teams and 104 matches, meaning there is more matches to be distributed than any prior.

RTVE covered the 2022 World Cup in Spain alongside Movistar.

Rights to that tournament had originally been snapped up in Spain by the Mediapro agency, through a deal disclosed in early 2019.

RTVE also showcased the 2024 UEFA European Championship, and in January picked up the rights to the 2028 edition of that tournament, as well as all Spanish national team matches in UEFA competition through to that point.

In total, RTBE has reportedly spent in excess of €360 million to secure high-profile sports rights over the coming years.

Beyond soccer this encompasses the likes of the 2028 and 2032 Olympic Games, the 2026 and 2030 Winter Olympic Games, and cycling’s iconic Tour de France through 2030, among others.