BEIJING.- The Chinese state broadcaster CCTV announced this Friday that it has obtained the rights to broadcast the World Cup of football this year and that of 2030 after the agreement reached by the FIFA and the parent company of CCTV, China Media Group (CMG).
“The partnership covers the 2026 World Cup, the 2030 World Cup, the 2027 Women’s World Cup and the 2031 Women’s World Cup,” CCTV reported on a deal that includes broadcasting on television, internet and mobile devices.
“The Chinese market is of great importance for the global football community. We know the passion of Chinese fans and we are very happy and proud of our agreement,” the FIFA Secretary General later reacted, Mattias Grafstromcited in a statement from the instance.
This agreement puts an end to the concerns of the millions of football fans in China, who, less than a month before the kickoff of the North America World Cupthey were not sure where they could follow the event on television from their homes.
However, the Chinese will have the problem of schedules, since both the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11 and the final in New Jersey on July 19 will begin at three in the morning for the inhabitants of Beijing and Shanghai.
CCTV did not reveal the amount of the agreement, although Chinese media outlet The Paper reported that the contract is valued at $60 million, citing sources close to the negotiations.
According to Chinese media, FIFA’s initial high claims had made signing the agreement impossible until now.
Representatives of the Zurich-based entity traveled to the Asian giant this week to meet with representatives of CMG, a source close to the negotiations informed AFP.
The agreement also comes coinciding this week with the visit to China of the American president Donald Trump.
Chinese media have been invited to a CMG launch event on Sunday, where details of its coverage and distribution deals are expected to be revealed.
India next?
With the dissemination of the World Cup in China resolved, FIFA still has to close an agreement with the other Asian giant, India.
Two countries with a total of 3 billion inhabitants and a giant market for FIFA.
Although these two nations are not classified for the World Cup organized in USA, Canada and Mexicointerest in the tournament is high, especially among the Chinese.
According to FIFA, the country accounted for 49.8% of the total viewing hours on digital platforms and social networks worldwide during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Many Chinese Internet users congratulated themselves on social networks for the signing of the agreement that will allow them to watch the matches of the next World Cup on television.
