The relationship between FIFA and Fox Sports regarding the FIFA World Cup has drawn scrutiny for years, but a new report is shedding more light on how the broadcaster secured rights to the 2026 FIFA World Cup at a price industry experts now consider far below market value.
According to a recent report from The New York Times, FIFA extended Fox’s World Cup television agreement through the 2026 tournament in exchange for the network not challenging the governing body’s decision to move the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar from its traditional summer schedule to November and December.
How Fox Obtained the 2026 FIFA World Cup Rights
Fox originally acquired U.S. broadcast rights for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups for approximately $425 million per tournament. However, when FIFA began considering moving the Qatar World Cup to the winter due to extreme summer temperatures, Fox reportedly raised concerns.
The network argued that the value of the broadcast rights was tied to the tournaments taking place during the summer months. A move to late November and December would place World Cup matches in direct competition with major sports properties already airing on Fox, including NFL games and college football coverage.
Rather than face potential legal action, FIFA reportedly offered Fox a significant concession: a direct extension that included rights to the 2026 FIFA World Cup without opening the process to competitive bidding.
Why the Deal Is Drawing Attention
Industry experts believe the value of the 2026 FIFA World Cup rights far exceeds what Fox ultimately agreed to pay.
Reports indicate Fox will pay approximately $485 million for the 2026 tournament. While that figure is slightly higher than previous deals, analysts estimate that an open-market bidding process today could have generated somewhere between $1 billion and $1.5 billion.
Sports media analysts have described the agreement as one of the most undervalued broadcast rights deals in sports.
The difference between the negotiated fee and estimated market value could represent a loss of hundreds of millions — potentially approaching $1 billion in unrealized revenue for FIFA.
FIFA Later Considered Exiting the Agreement
As legal proceedings involving corruption investigations around FIFA continued in later years, officials reportedly explored possible ways to undo the Fox agreement.
According to the report, FIFA consulted outside legal experts to determine whether the organization had a path to cancel or renegotiate the deal.
Fox, however, maintained that its rights had been secured properly and defended its position. Ultimately, FIFA did not pursue legal action and allowed the agreement to remain in place.
Fox Could See Major Financial Gains During World Cup 2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be the largest tournament in history, featuring an expanded field of teams and matches hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Experts believe Fox could generate substantial profits from the tournament through:
- Advertising revenue
- Sponsorship opportunities
- Retransmission fees
- Increased viewership across platforms
With the event expected to draw enormous global audiences, Fox appears positioned to benefit significantly from a deal many analysts now consider one of the best media rights bargains in sports.
Bigger Questions Remain for FIFA
The report also raises broader questions regarding decisions made during FIFA’s handling of the Qatar World Cup era.
Critics argue that events surrounding Qatar’s hosting selection and the subsequent scheduling change created a series of financial consequences that continue to impact FIFA more than a decade later.
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, what was once viewed as a routine media agreement is increasingly being seen as a deal that reshaped the value of one of sports’ biggest events.