By David Snow •
FIFA’s ongoing struggle to launch and broadcast a new international soccer tournament next year in the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup continue, as its talks with Apple over broadcast rights have stalled, according to a report.
Apparently $1 billion won’t cut it for soccer’s global governing body.
FIFA’s talks with Apple over worldwide TV rights for the 32-club tournament, considered a $1 billion deal, faltered as FIFA apparently looks to sell rights to regional broadcasters, a report in Bloomberg stated. It cited anonymous sources close to the talks.
The $1 billion figure initially came from a report in The New York Times. It was thought to be one quarter of what FIFA wanted.
Apple didn’t comment for Bloomberg‘s report. Soccer’s top governing agency, FIFA, said many other parties remain interested in possible deals.
“FIFA is fully confident and convinced of the commercial and sporting success of the new competition,” a spokesperson said. “FIFA is in regular and productive dialogue with the key counterparties involved including prospective venues, media and commercial partners, and of course the clubs themselves.”
The soccer governing body noted 29 of the 32 planned teams occupy tournament slots. They include big European names like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain FC and Manchester City. Those teams will take on international clubs like Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal SFC. And in terms of regional breakdown, Europe will field 12 teams, South America brings six, and Africa and Asia each field four. A few others come from different regions.
But the new tournament has not been immune to criticism. Player unions say another series of high-profile matches will put elite footballers under too much physical strain, for example. And it remains to be seen if the new tournament will launch, and who might broadcast it.
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