Tech Giants Eye $2 Billion Bidding War for FIFA World Cup Rights

FIFA intends to bundle English- and Spanish-language rights for the U.S. market into a single package, moving away from the split-license strategy used for the 2026 tournament. Industry insiders suggest that media executives are currently budgeting between $1.5 billion and $2 billion for these rights, a substantial leap from previous cycles.

Amazon and Apple have also emerged as potential contenders, leveraging their existing sports portfolios to threaten the long-standing dominance of traditional networks. Fox previously paid $485 million for English-language rights, while NBCUniversal’s Telemundo secured Spanish-language coverage for $600 million. With formal negotiations expected to launch within the next three months, the outcome will likely redefine the landscape of American sports broadcasting.