FIFA, the international governing body for football, has once again partnered with New World TV (NWTV) to secure broadcast rights for the upcoming 2026 Men's World Cup and the 2027 Women's World Cup. This agreement extends NWTV's coverage of FIFA events in sub-Saharan Africa.
Togo-based satellite television network NWTV has acquired rights to broadcast soccer’s next two FIFA World Cups – one men's edition and one women's. The men’s tournament will be held across Mexico, the US, and Canada in 2026 while Brazil will host the Women’s tournament in 2027. The deal ensures that all matches from both events will be aired on NWTV’s pay-TV platform across nineteen territories including Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic among others.
In addition to the direct coverage, NWTV has been given additional responsibilities across forty-three other markets. These include countries like Angola, Botswana, and Ghana among others. The broadcaster is tasked with sub-licensing thirty-four games from next year's Men’s tournament and twenty-five fixtures from the Women’s event in 2027 for "free-to-air exploitation." This move aims to increase accessibility of these prestigious events to a wider audience.
This partnership comes as an extension of previous agreements where NWTV provided coverage of both the Men's World Cup in Qatar (2022), and of the Women's event held across Australia and New Zealand (2023).
Tender process & relationship with FIFA
The tender process for these tournaments was initiated in late November of the previous year. Beyond these tournaments, NWTV's relationship with FIFA extends to cover ongoing events as well. For instance, the broadcaster is currently providing coverage for the Club World Cup that is taking place in French-speaking territories across Africa.
African zone qualifiers for next year’s Men’s World Cup began in November 2023 and will run through this year. At least nine teams from the continent are expected to participate in the tournament.
The previous Men's World Cup saw three sub-Saharan African teams – Cameroon, Senegal, and Ghana – make their mark on the global stage. For the Women's event in two years' time, qualification will be determined through performances at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
FIFA’s media rights activity
In other news related to FIFA's media rights activity; earlier this month, FIFA opened a tender process for broadcast rights covering both the 2027 and 2031 editions of Women’s World Cup in Canada. The deadline for bid submissions is July 10 at Central European Time.
Romy Gai, chief business officer at FIFA, said:
"We are delighted to extend our partnership with New World TV and continue to benefit from their African-rooted approach, their expertise of broadcasting major football events, and their innovation and deep passion for the game. They have proven their ability to deliver world-class coverage and strong localization that resonates with millions of viewers across Africa."
Meanwhile, Deutsche Telekom, a German telecommunications giant unveiled a comprehensive package of FIFA rights including games from both upcoming tournaments last May. This partnership between NWTV and FIFA not only ensures extensive coverage of these prestigious events across sub-Saharan Africa but also highlights how sports broadcasting continues to evolve with changing times.
