GENEVA (AP) 鈥� FIFA finally sealed a broadcast rights deal for China on Friday, just 27 days before the opening game and at a much lower reported price than the soccer body wanted.
The overall covered the next four World Cups 鈥� two each of the men’s and women’s 鈥� through 2031, FIFA said in a statement. It includes the 48-team, 104-game men’s tournament in North America starting on June 11 that .
Chinese state-affiliated media reported on Friday the 2026 World Cup rights were valued at $60 million.
FIFA originally sought $300 million, Chinese media reported in recent weeks as the deadline to strike a deal drew closer.
A rights deal for India has not been confirmed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a real pleasure that we have found an agreement with CMG,鈥� FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstr枚m said in the soccer body鈥檚 statement. He was in China this week, also for meetings with officials from the Chinese soccer federation.
FIFA’s leverage in China was less because of the time difference of up to 15 hours from Beijing to the 16 host cities spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Chinese companies have already made a big investment in the 2026 World Cup which is set to .
Technology firm is one of FIFA’s eight top-tier sponsor partners, and second-tier deals were signed by dairy firm and electronics manufacturer .
Chinese conglomerate Wanda signed a in 2016 which was terminated two years ago.
The value of the TV rights were not disclosed for the 2030 World Cup, which once might have been and which Wanda said was part of its strategy with FIFA. The country’s ambitions to host international soccer competitions .
The 2030 men’s tournament will be mostly hosted in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with single games currently scheduled to be played in Argentina, Paraguay and the original 1930 World Cup host Uruguay.
The 2027 Women’s World Cup will be played in Brazil and the mainly in the United States, along with Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica.
That hosting decision with no rival candidate is due to the confirmed in November by FIFA member federations.
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AP Writer Didi Tang in Washington, D.C., contributed.
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