FIFA plans to auction media rights for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, with US broadcast rights alone projected to fetch between $1.5 billion and $2 billion per tournament, according to industry valuations. That would be a sharp increase from the $485 million paid for the 2026 rights.
Why the jump in value
The projected valuation represents a more than threefold increase over the $485 million paid for the 2026 tournament. The 2030 World Cup will be the first edition with 48 teams, up from 32, and will be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, with centenary matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. The 2034 tournament is expected to be held in Saudi Arabia, which is the sole bidder after FIFA fast-tracked the process.
Auction details
FIFA has not yet announced the exact timing or structure of the auction. The rights will cover both the 2030 and 2034 tournaments, likely as a combined package or separate lots. The organization is expected to target major US broadcasters and streaming platforms, given the growing American appetite for soccer ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
The price tag signals FIFA's confidence in the World Cup's commercial draw. For networks and streamers, the cost will be steep but could be justified by the tournament's global reach and live-event appeal. The 2026 rights were bought by Fox Sports and Telemundo for a combined $485 million, a figure that now looks like a bargain.
No further details on the auction process or timeline have been released. Bidders will likely have to wait for FIFA to set a formal schedule.
