Separate media rights tender processes launched in Austria and Switzerland; FIFA (www.FIFA.com) World Cup 2026™ will feature 48 participating teams; Media companies wishing to participate in the tender have until 16 May 2023 to apply

FIFA has launched invitations to tender (ITT) in Austria and Switzerland for the sale of media rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ (https://apo-opa.info/3mv5qHA).

The FIFA World Cup™ is the world’s most prestigious football tournament and has a universal appeal which reaches far beyond sport. The 2022 edition of the competition saw record-breaking audiences with around five billion engagements across an array of platforms and devices across the globe.

The FIFA World Cup 2026™ will be the 23rd edition of the competition and will be jointly hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. With iconic venues, passionate supporters and a wealth of experience in delivering world-class entertainment events, the host nations will provide an unrivalled platform to celebrate the game and its ability to connect and inspire people around the world. 

For the first time, the FIFA World Cup™ will feature 48 participating teams, offering teams a greater chance to qualify than ever before, and an extended competition format with 104 matches.

 Having qualified for the latest edition of the UEFA EURO in 2021, Austria will be targeting its first participation at a FIFA World Cup final tournament since 1998. Meanwhile, Switzerland has been a regular participant at recent FIFA World Cups, having qualified for the last five editions and progressing from the group stage on four of those occasions.

The tender process will allow FIFA to select the media companies that are best placed to achieve FIFA’s overall objectives to deliver high-quality, comprehensive coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and financial investment. Through the sale of media rights for its tournaments, FIFA generates income which is essential to support and develop the game around the world, including through FIFA Forward programme (https://apo-opa.info/3T9Q1s0).

Media companies wishing to participate in the tender processes can request the ITT for Austria and Switzerland by email by writing to respectively Austria-Media-Rights@fifa.org- and   Switzerland-Media-Rights@fifa.org. Bid submissions to FIFA must be received by 10:00 CEST on 16 May 2023.