FIFA, the international governing body for soccer, has initiated an invitation to tender (ITT) in Italy for the sale of media rights for the men's 2026 FIFA World Cup. The move comes despite uncertainty over Italy's qualification status for the tournament.
The ITT went live on November 25, with a submission deadline set at 10 AM Central European Time. Interested media companies and organizations can participate by requesting the ITT via email at italy-media-rights@fifa.org.
FIFA aims to use this tender process to identify and select entities within Italy that are best suited to secure necessary transmission and programming commitments. The ultimate goal is reaching as wide an audience as possible while ensuring a high-quality viewing experience for fans.
Previous broadcasters
The previous edition of the World Cup held in Qatar in 2022 was broadcasted in Italy by public service broadcaster Rai. However, it is worth noting that Italy failed to qualify for both the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
Currently, their spot remains unsecured even for next year’s edition scheduled in US, Canada, and Mexico. With only two qualifiers left, they sit second place behind Norway due to inferior goal difference which separates teams with equal points.
Italy will likely have to qualify through playoffs again - a route they failed at during qualifications for the last tournament when they lost against North Macedonia.
Recent tenders issued by FIFA
This isn't FIFA’s first recent media rights tender; another was issued last month covering Myanmar's coverage of both men's tournament in 2026 and women's edition slated for 2027.
In late July this year, another tender was launched targeting India subcontinent countries including India itself along with Bangladesh, Bhutan Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka This sales process also covered both the 2026 and 2027 World Cups, as well as the men's tournament in 2030. The bidding deadline for this tender was September 2.
FIFA's decision to go live with the media rights tender in Italy is a significant step towards ensuring that fans have access to high-quality broadcasts of the games. Despite Italy’s uncertain qualification status, FIFA remains committed to providing an engaging viewing experience for soccer fans worldwide.
