Apple and FIFA are in talks for TV rights for the month-long World Cup-style competition set in the U.S. next summer, The New York Times reported.
The agreement is expected to be announced within the month as the deal is nearing its closure, according to the people familiar with the situation.
Apple, FIFA Could Start Single Worldwide Contract
The report showed that the deal would be the first FIFA stage for the expanded 48-team men's World Cup in the U.S. in 2026 under a single worldwide contract. Apple has previously invested into soccer last 2022 when it signed a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal for the Major League Soccer streaming rights.
The people familiar with the matter also revealed that the deal is estimated to be as little as a quarter of the $4 billion estimate from FIFA. The inclusions of the deal are still unclear as the agreement has yet to be officially confirmed.
One of the possibilities is that Apple will hold the free-to-air rights to the games and the entire event will be available to Apple TV+ subscribers.
Streaming Services Invest in Sports
Sports have started to become a huge investment for streaming companies. For instance, Peacocke streamed the National Football League (NFL) playoff game last season while Amazon Prime has been airing Thursday Night Football.
Apple has also begun streaming Major League Baseball games. Meanwhile, Netflix is focused on producing sports documentaries and special live sports events. The streaming giant also inked a multibillion deal to stream World Wrestling Entertainment's "Raw."
The upcoming FIFA tournament will feature diverse successful teams around the world, with the majority of the teams coming from Europe. However, the organization seemed to be struggling to get sponsors who were willing to commit $150 million.
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