FIFA rejects UK broadcasters' Women’s World Cup bids

FIFA chief business officer Romy Gai has revealed that bids from the UK, Italy, Germany, and France for the 2023 Women’s World Cup broadcast rights have been rejected.

FIFA reportedly also expects a similar situation with Spain. The competition is being held in Australia and New Zealand, which will mean early morning/late night kick off times in Europe.

Gai told Bloomberg that FIFA believes the broadcasters are showing “a lack of willingness” to pay what the rights are worth, rather than being priced out. 

ITV has been linked with the UK rights to the competition, looking to capitalise on the growing popularity of women’s football following England’s Women’s Euros victory. The BBC has held the rights to the last two Women’s World Cups, and had a record 17.5 million viewers tune into BBC1 for the Euros final.

Gai said: “This is not a case of being priced out, but rather testament to a lack of willingness of broadcasters to pay what the women’s game deserves.”

Gai added: “Audience figures show that the Women’s World Cup 2019 in France was a catalyst for change in terms of TV audience.

“Audience figures show that the Women’s World Cup 2019 in France was a catalyst for change in terms of TV audience,” Gai said. “A combined 1.12 billion viewers tuned into official broadcast coverage across all platforms of the final between America and the Netherlands, which became the most watched FIFA Women’s World Cup match ever.

“We know the opportunity for women’s football is there. Now, together, we need to capture it.”

In the UK, women’s football rights have seen growing interest in recent years, with the Women’s Super League signing its first commercial deal with Sky Sports and the BBC last year.