A FIFA is causing a real stir in the television broadcasting market by demanding no less than 430,000 euros for each match of the 2026 World Cup. This exorbitant amount has led TVI, one of the main television stations in Portugal, to have all its proposals rejected, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and frustration among football fans and the channel’s executives. The revelation was made by the newspaper Expresso, which highlights the seriousness of the situation.
Pedro Morais Leitão, the CEO of Media Capital, did not hold back in his criticism of FIFA, revealing that over the past year, TVI submitted four proposals for the acquisition of broadcasting rights, all in response to tenders promoted by the international federation. However, FIFA, in a firm and perhaps even defiant stance, rejected each of the offers, arguing that the proposed amounts were far below what was desired.
This price increase is particularly alarming, as according to Pedro Morais Leitão, it represents more than double what TVI paid to broadcast the matches of the 2022 World Cup. The amount of 430,000 euros per game was established during a tender held in February, and the situation raises questions about the accessibility and democratization of access to broadcasts of such a grand event as the World Cup.
So far, only Sport TV, which has committed to broadcasting all the tournament’s matches, and the digital channel LiveModeTV, which will stream the National Team’s games via YouTube, have confirmed their participation in the coverage of the competition on Portuguese soil. In contrast, DAZN has already announced that it will not broadcast the World Cup, stating that it does not fit within its business strategy.
Other generalist channels, such as SIC, are in negotiations, but do not yet have guarantees regarding the acquisition of the rights. RTP, for its part, has chosen not to comment on the situation, leaving a certain apprehension about its future position.
Morais Leitão also criticized Google, the owner of YouTube, for supporting the launch of LiveMode in Portugal. According to him, FIFA seems to have found in this digital platform an effective way to pressure traditional television networks into accepting what he considers “unreasonable” prices.
Globally, FIFA has an ambitious goal: to raise around €3.4 billion from the sale of broadcasting rights for the 2026 World Cup. This scenario not only raises concerns about the future of sports broadcasting but also ignites a debate about what the democratization of access to sports truly means in times of increasing commercialization. With pressure mounting and negotiations ongoing, the outcome of this saga promises to be electrifying for football fans.
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