Canada Soccer strikes lucrative new rights deal, projects massive financial boost

Canada Soccer has successfully reworked its controversial rights deal with Canadian Soccer Business, with the new 12-year agreement offering a massive financial boost for the governing body.

CEO Kevin Blue projects Canada Soccer will earn "well over $100 million" more in net revenue over the length of the contract than what the existing deal offered, with much of the growth compounding in the middle and latter years of the agreement.

Shrouded in secrecy, the existing rights deal with CSB — which rebranded Thursday as Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment (CSME) — was decried by players and politicians alike. The players had complained that the deal was unfair, holding both them and the game back.

The new agreement was released Friday essentially in full, covering 31 pages with only a few redactions.

The deal runs Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2037, with a mutual option for a five-year extension at its conclusion. There are so-called "look-in periods" every three years to review terms "to ensure ongoing fair market value alignment."

There are three revenue-sharing streams:

Incremental revenues generated will be "primarily reinvested into senior and youth national team programs, coaching, referee development, and grassroots and community soccer initiatives."

The new deal includes a commitment to "wide broadcast distribution" of all senior national team matches played at home as well as international matches in "Canada-friendly" time zones. Equal exposure of the men's and women's teams is a "guiding principle."

"We're excited that more Canadians will be able to access both the men's and women's national teams on a regular basis," said Blue.

And it comes with a joint governance structure involving senior leadership from