Apple TV+ is currently in discussions to sign an agreement with FIFA for the broadcast of a major tournament, namely the 2025 Club World Cup. Enough to strengthen the football offering of the platform, which already offers all the matches of MLS, the American league.
As we know, broadcast rights for football competitions have become particularly popular products for streaming platforms. Generally, this allows services to gain additional users and new sources of revenue via dedicated subscription plans. In July 2023, Amazon Prime Video, for example, became the exclusive broadcaster of French football Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 for 250 million euros per year.
A passing of the torch that Canal+ has still not digested, moreover, which continued to pay 332 million euros to broadcast only two matches per day of the championship… While Amazon took the lion’s share with the other 8 matches, including the 10 best posters of the season.
For its part, Apple TV+ is also eyeing football broadcasting rights. While the Apple brand’s platform already offers MLS matches (the American league), we know that the service had expressed its interest in Ligue 1 in November 2023. However, and as revealed by our colleagues at New York Times, Apple is currently in talks with FIFA to obtain the rights to another major tournament: the 2025 Club World Cup.
The 2025 Club World Cup on Apple TV+?
Indeed, the negotiations between the two entities would be nearing the end, since the contract could be definitively sealed at the end of April 2024. If the partnership is confirmed, Apple TV+ could therefore offer on its platform all the matches of the competition, which will take place as a reminder of June 15 to July 13, 2025.
Furthermore and according to details provided by the Reuters press agency, Apple has achieved a feat by considerably reducing the envelope. For good reason, while FIFA initially demanded 4 billion dollars, the Cupertino company would have managed to obtain the prize for only 1 billion dollars. Unsurprisingly, neither Apple nor FIFA have commented on the information shared by the NY Times or Reuters, the institution reminding in passing that it “does not confirm or deny commercial discussions”.
Source: New York Times