China seals last-minute World Cup broadcast deal with FIFA

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Beijing: After weeks of uncertainty over whether the 2026 and 2030 FIFA World Cups will be aired in China, the country's national broadcaster has now obtained the broadcasting rights.

The main firm of state broadcaster CCTV, China Media Group (CMG), announced on Friday that it has signed an agreement with FIFA to cover the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups in addition to the following two men's World Cups. Television, internet, and mobile broadcasting rights on China's mainland are included in the agreement.

The agreement is made less than a month before the United States, Canada, and Mexico host the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup. Although Chinese media sources claimed that the rights for the 2026 event alone were worth over $60 million, no financial data was made public.

After lengthy discussions between FIFA and Chinese broadcasters created concerns that the event might not be available domestically, the statement swiftly went viral on Chinese social media, with many fans expressing happiness.