The French division of international pay-TV giant BeIN Sports has secured the broadcast rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and 2030. This development comes despite Ligue 1+'s previous claims of victory in the bidding process for these editions. The news also coincides with the resignation of Nicolas de Tavernost, chief executive of LFP Media.
BeIN will broadcast all 104 games from each edition on its range of pay-TV linear channels, reportedly paying around €40 million ($47.5 million) for both tournaments. This includes a slate of 54 games already held by free-to-air commercial network M6, which will be showcased alongside BeIN's broadcasts.
Ligue1+, an in-house direct-to-consumer service established by league organizer LFP to house domestic rights for top-flight soccer, had claimed victory in January's tender process. De Tavernost announced that they had secured rights to all games at the upcoming World Cups as part of their strategy to fill off-season gaps with international soccer content. However, it appears that de Tavernost spoke prematurely before finalizing the bidding process and now finds himself outpaced by rival BeIN who has successfully acquired these coveted rights.
Acrimony between BeIN and LFP
Sportcal reports that this recent development is part of ongoing acrimony between BeIn and LFP over media rights disputes. However, FIFA maintains there was nothing unusual about this bidding process; any failure on behalf of League1+ to finalize discussions remains within their control as no agreement was ever signed with FIFA. This setback could significantly impact plans to monetize League1+ year-round through diversified content beyond standard League 1 matches.
Launched mid-July 2025, League1+ offers a €14.99 ($17.66) per month annual subscription or a non-committal monthly tier at $19.99 per month. Despite early success, the service may need to drastically increase its subscriber base or subscription price to match media rights income from even its recent unsuccessful cycles. De Tavernost announced his departure from LFP only nine months after joining the body, following disagreements with top side Paris Saint-Germain and club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi (also head of BeIN). His resignation plunges LFP Media into another period of uncertainty.
A former president of French side Bordeaux, de Tavernost will remain in post until a replacement is found despite ongoing investigations into LFP Media’s operations by authorities over dealings with CVC Capital Partners private equity firm which owns a 13% stake in LFP Media. This development marks an important shift in France's sports broadcasting landscape and could have significant implications for future FIFA World Cup broadcasts and the financial stability of streaming services like League1+.
