FIFA opens bidding for 2030 World Cup US rights: Netflix, Disney, Amazon joins race

FIFA has formally opened the tender for U.S. and Puerto Rico media rights to the 2030 men’s World Cup, with bids due by November 19 and the winning partner expected to be chosen before the end of 2026.

The tender is primarily for the 2030 tournament, which will be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. FIFA is also allowing bidders to submit combined offers for the 2034 World Cup, scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia.

Interested broadcasters and streaming platforms can request the invitation to tender through FIFA’s dedicated media-rights email address. FIFA said the process is intended to select one or more partners to deliver coverage across different viewing options in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Bids must be submitted by midnight on November 19, according to FIFA. After that, a FIFA delegation is expected to travel to the United States around Thanksgiving for in-person meetings with media companies.

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FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai said the organisation intends to select its next US media partner before the end of the year.

Open to TV & streaming

FIFA has said it is open to “innovative approaches” to reach large audiences, signalling that traditional broadcasters and streaming services will both be considered. Gai said FIFA expects strong interest from linear broadcasters as well as streaming platforms.

Netflix has already acquired the broadcast rights to the 2030 men’s World Cup in Spain. Under that deal, a free-to-air broadcaster will be allowed to show at least one match each day, according to ESPN.

The governing body is reportedly favouring a single partner for both English-language and Spanish-language rights, although that preference is not mandatory. It is also open to separate deals, combined television-and-streaming packages, and joint bids.

This is the first open sale of US men’s FIFA World Cup media rights since 2011, giving broadcasters and streaming platforms a rare opportunity to compete for one of the biggest properties in global sport.

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Fox carried the English-language coverage of the 2026 tournament, while NBC Universal’s Telemundo held the Spanish-language rights. Both broadcasters have expressed interest in retaining their rights, while ESPN has also indicated that it is interested in bidding.

The auction could also attract major streaming platforms, including Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Disney, all of which were reported to be interested in the rights, according to a CNBC report published in July. Some media executives estimated at the time that the rights could sell for between $1.5 billion and $2 billion.