Despite Russia's current ban from participating in international sports events, the Gazprom Media-owned broadcaster, Match TV, has secured exclusive rights to broadcast the men's national team soccer's 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. This development marks a significant milestone in the world of sports broadcasting.
Match TV will be the only Russian network to broadcast the highly anticipated tournament featuring 48 teams. The event is scheduled to take place across Mexico, the US, and Canada in June and July of 2026.
This comes as a surprise considering that at present – Russia is barred from participating due to its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Following this incident, FIFA along with almost all other international sporting governing bodies moved swiftly to ban Russian sides from its national team tournaments. However, it should be noted that while participation has been restricted, there has been no move by FIFA or any other body to ban coverage of their tournaments within Russia.
Previous broadcasts and future plans
The previous World Cup held in Qatar late last year was shown on multiple platforms within Russia including Channel One and VGTRK alongside Match TV. However, for this upcoming tournament slated for 2026 - Match TV stands alone as an exclusive broadcaster.
In addition to securing rights for broadcasting the prestigious football event globally recognized as one of sport’s biggest spectacles - recent deals have also been unveiled by FIFA with broadcasters across various markets such as UK, South Korea Israel and several central European markets.
Five-year extension with Serie A
In related news about Match TV's ventures into sports broadcasting - they recently secured a five-year extension deal for Serie A matches towards late July. This agreement further solidifies their position within global football coverage following their majority broadcast of games from UEFA European Championship continental competition in 2024.
Despite the current political climate and Russia's ban from international sports events, Match TV's acquisition of exclusive rights to broadcast the 2026 FIFA World Cup is a testament to their commitment towards providing quality sports content for Russian viewers. This move not only ensures that football fans in Russia will be able to enjoy one of the world’s most significant sporting events but also highlights Match TV's growing influence within global sports broadcasting.
