Netflix, Disney and YouTube interested in FIFA World Cup U.S. rights; package could reach $2 billion

As the FIFA World Cup captures massive global audiences, media companies are preparing to pay billions for the rights to the next two men's tournaments.

Netflix, Disney and Alphabet's YouTube are all interested in challenging Fox for the U.S. broadcast rights to the 2030 and 2034 World Cup, according to people familiar with the matter.

Amazon, which currently owns UEFA Champions League rights in the U.K., and Apple, which owns global MLS rights, could also enter the mix, further fueling a potential bidding war for the rights.

Discussions between FIFA and potential media partners are expected to begin sometime in the next three months, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the talks are private.

FIFA has alerted media companies during preliminary talks, which began earlier this year, that English- and Spanish-language U.S. rights are likely to be sold together, rather than separately as they have been for previous World Cups, including 2026, according to the people.

Fox paid $485 million for the English-language rights for this year's tournament, hosted across North American cities, according to The Athletic. NBCUniversal's Telemundo paid $600 million for the Spanish-language rights, according to people familiar with the matter.

Executives at various media companies are budgeting between $1.5 billion and $2 billion for the U.S. rights to each tournament across languages, said the people. The last time FIFA negotiated a deal, with Fox and Telemundo, was in 2011. Four years later, FIFA extended that deal through 2026.

FIFA won't sell global rights to the tournament, because different countries have regulations that mandate the World Cup must be sold over the air. But U.S. rights will be coveted, with major viewership and advertising opportunities.

Netflix, Disney and YouTube all view the World Cup as a potential major boost for their streaming services, according to the people familiar.

Disney could also air games on ESPN and ABC, which could be appealing to FIFA as the broadcast on Fox has seen strong ratings this year. FIFA has already shown interest in Netflix by awarding it the Women's World Cup in 2027 and 2031.

Selling the English- and Spanish-language rights as a single package could help FIFA garner a higher price, driving up bids from eager media partners looking for big ratings. The combined TV audiences for U.S. games in recent weeks have rivaled NFL playoff games.

Packaging the language rights could also help eliminate some tensions between rival media companies airing the same games.