According to foreign media outlet The Streamable
FIFA
(FIFA) in preparation for the upcoming expansion of the
Club World Cup (soccer tournament)
Difficulties have been encountered in finding sponsorship and broadcast partners. Despite FIFA's hopes of securing $4 billion in sponsorship for the tournament, the
Apple Inc.
was only willing to offer $1 billion in worldwide royalties, leading to a breakdown in negotiations between the two sides.
It was reported this spring that Apple and FIFA were on the verge of signing an exclusive international rights deal, but that plan has collapsed as the two sides have failed to reach an agreement. FIFA has yet to find a partner willing to pay more than a quarter of its asking price.
FIFA plans to expand the Club World Cup from seven teams to 32 in 2025 and 64 in 2029. The tournament will be held on June 13, 2025 in the United States and is expected to include top clubs such as Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
FIFA is currently accepting bids for the media rights to the 2025 and 2029 Club World Cup, with a focus on the Americas, Asia (outside of China), and the Middle East and North Africa. The deadline for bids is August 20th. Bids for Europe, China and sub-Saharan Africa will then open. However, broadcasters are still finding it difficult to bid easily for broadcast rights as FIFA has failed to consolidate plans for the tournament.
The venue for the 2025 Club World Cup is expected to be a stadium on the East Coast of the United States, which will favor primetime viewing. However, the host country for 2029 has yet to be determined, creating uncertainty for broadcasters in their bidding.
If Apple could become a FIFA partner, it would be a perfect solution. As a company with a global reach and platform, the country and time zone in which a match is played is not as important to Apple as it is to regional broadcasters. Apple has already invested heavily in soccer and is a broadcaster of Major League Soccer (MLS).
For now, FIFA may need to turn to other global streaming giants, such as Netflix and Prime Video, in order to increase its bid. However, this is less likely for a tournament that has yet to prove a ratings draw and is not well organized.
Given the current situation, FIFA may need to reassess its asking price and may return to the negotiating table with Apple to accept the $1 billion offer. For FIFA, finding the right broadcast partner will be a crucial step in ensuring the success of the Club World Cup.
