FIFA secures deal to broadcast women's world cup across Europe

FIFA has announced a groundbreaking agreement with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to broadcast the highly anticipated 2023 Women's World Cup across 34 European countries. 

The deal successfully resolves the recent dispute between FIFA and broadcasters in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, ensuring that fans in these "Big Five" nations will not face a blackout during the tournament held in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed his delight at expanding the partnership with the European Broadcasting Union, emphasising the inclusion of major markets like France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. Infantino emphasised that the deal would provide maximum exposure for the tournament, although no specific financial details were disclosed.

Earlier negotiations with broadcasters in the "Big Five" European countries had encountered challenges, with FIFA expressing dissatisfaction over the lower offers received compared to the broadcasting rights for the men's World Cup. One hurdle was the time difference, as many matches would take place in the early morning in Europe. However, Infantino dismissed this as an excuse and prioritised ensuring comprehensive coverage of the Women's World Cup.

In October of the previous year, FIFA and the EBU had already reached an agreement covering 28 countries. The expanded list of 34 nations, announced on Wednesday, excluded several European countries participating in the World Cup, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Portugal.

The EBU's involvement in the deal is significant, as it includes networks that broadcast the matches on free-to-air channels rather than subscription-based platforms. FIFA listed renowned broadcasters such as ARD and ZDF in Germany, BBC and ITV in the United Kingdom, France Televisions, RAI in Italy, and RTVE in Spain. Additionally, M6 in France, although not part of the EBU, was also named as a broadcaster.

EBU Director General Noel Curran expressed the organisation's commitment to working closely with FIFA to ensure that the Women's World Cup receives extensive viewership across the continent. He described the tournament as one of the most exciting and fastest-growing events in sports, and the EBU aims to make the women's game accessible to as many people as possible.