FIFA is launching a public tender process on Thursday 20 October 2005 to select and appoint an agent to exploit its high profile media rights in Asia. The media rights include the television and radio rights to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, 2014 FIFA World Cup™ and other FIFA events to be staged between 2007 and 2014. The tender is open to all interested parties with the expertise to handle the rights.

Each interested party will be requested to submit a bid to be appointed as FIFA’s exclusive agent for the entire region defined in the tender document. If the successful bidder is a broadcaster, FIFA is prepared to grant, in addition to the agency appointment, the right to exercise the media rights in those countries where the successful bidder itself undertakes full broadcast operations.

The tender process, which will be overseen by FIFA’s Marketing & TV Division, is a reflection of FIFA’s policy of transparency and its desire to give all interested parties the opportunity to submit bids in respect of the FIFA World Cup™. In 2002, a cumulative audience of 28.8 billion people watched the FIFA World Cup™ in Korea/Japan.  For the next event in 2006, 30 billion people are expected to tune in over the four weeks of the biggest single sports event on earth, making the media rights some of the most attractive in sports.

The deadline for the submission of bids is 17.00h CET, 21 November 2005.  Following consideration of all bids, FIFA intends to draw up a confidential shortlist of bidders and expects to announce the appointment of its exclusive agent in March 2006.

Those parties interested in making a bid may obtain a copy of the Invitation to Tender document by sending a request to mediatenderFIFA2010@fifa.org stating name of contact person, entity and purpose of the request. The document will then be sent by return email.

Further information from:
FIFA Media Department
Telephone: +41-43/222 7272 – Telefax: +41-43/222 7373 – E-mail: media@fifa.org