For the first time,FIFA is trying to commercialise the men’s and women’s World Cups separately,having previously bundled them together in negotiations with broadcasters and sponsors,but is struggling to attract the revenues they were hoping for.
Some broadcasters in Europe’s top five football nations – Britain,France,Italy,Germany and Spain – have offered what Infantino says is in some cases 10 to 100 times less than what they had paid for the last round of World Cup rights,calling the situation a slap in the face to all women worldwide,and dismissing their complaints about Australia’s unfavourable time zone.
If those networks don’t up their bids,Infantino has said FIFA will not sell the rights in those countries,although it’s believed the tournament would instead be shown on the FIFA+ streaming service rather than be withheld from fans entirely.
Samoura,a former United Nations diplomat who became FIFA’s secretary-general in 2016,said FIFA had done its bit by increasing its investment into women’s football,expanding the tournament from 24 to 32 teams,and by upping prizemoney by 300 per cent to a total package of $226 million for this Women’s World Cup.
But the only way they will be able to match the $656m on offer at the last men’s World Cup in Qatar,she said,is with more corporate support.
“We have still 73 days to go before the kick-off,and I’m quite confident because Europe plays a major role in the development of women’s football that we’ll find a common ground,” Samoura told this masthead.