FIFA has announced an agreement for the broadcast of the upcoming 2023 Women’s World Cup. The organization has partnered with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to televise the tournament in 34 European countries.
This historic deal resolves the recent dispute between FIFA and broadcasters in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Fans in these countries can now watch the competition without any interruptions. The tournament will take place in Australia and New Zealand from July to August.
Gianni Infantino, the President of FIFA, expressed his excitement about expanding the partnership with the EBU. He highlighted the inclusion of major markets such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine, which will provide maximum exposure for the tournament. However, the financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
Previous negotiations with broadcasters in the “Big Five” European countries faced challenges. FIFA expressed dissatisfaction over the lower offers received for the women’s World Cup broadcasting rights compared to the men’s tournament. Despite the time difference, with many matches scheduled for early morning in Europe, Infantino dismissed it as an excuse and prioritized comprehensive coverage of the Women’s World Cup.
Expansion of FIFA-EBU Broadcast Agreement:
In October of the previous year, FIFA and the EBU had already reached an agreement covering 28 countries. The recently announced expanded list now includes 34 nations. The deal excluded notable World Cup participants such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Portugal.
The involvement of the EBU in this broadcasting agreement is significant as it includes networks broadcasting matches on free-to-air channels rather than subscription-based platforms. FIFA mentioned renowned broadcasters such as ARD and ZDF in Germany, BBC and ITV in the United Kingdom, France Televisions, RAI in Italy, RTVE in Spain, and M6 in France (although not part of the EBU) as official broadcasters.
Noel Curran, the Director General of the EBU, expressed the organization’s commitment to working closely with FIFA to ensure widespread viewership of the Women’s World Cup across the continent. He described the tournament as one of the most exciting and rapidly growing events in the world of sports and emphasized the EBU’s goal of making the women’s game accessible to as many people as possible.