FIFA threatens European TV blackout of Women’s World Cup

FIFA President Gianni Infantino holds an official ball of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup during the “Making trade score for women!” discussion on the use of football as a tool for trade and development at the WTO headquarters in Geneva, on May 1, 2023. – (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has threatened a television blackout of this year’s Women’s World Cup in major European countries unless broadcasters improve their offers for rights.

Infantino in October criticised broadcasters who he said had offered “100 times less” to screen the Women’s World Cup compared to the men’s tournament.

He went on the attack again on Monday, less than three months before the start of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, calling for a “fair price” for media rights.

FIFA is yet to sell rights for the tournament to some major markets, football’s governing body said in a statement.

“The offers from broadcasters, mainly in the ‘Big Five’ European countries, are still very disappointing,” he said at the World Trade Organization in Geneva, stressing that the revenue will go back into women’s football to help grow the game.

Infantino accused broadcasters of offering between $1 million and $10 million to show the Women’s World Cup, compared to the $100-200 million they pay for the men’s version.

The five countries are thought to be Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

“This is a slap in the face of all the great FIFA Women’s World Cup players and indeed of all women worldwide,” said Infantino.

“To be very clear, it is our moral and legal obligation not to undersell the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“Therefore, should the offers continue not to be fair (towards women and women’s football), we will be forced not to