Commissioning editor and content lead for global originals on the platform, James Abraham, told Broadcast Sport some of what the federation’s D2C offering is aiming for

FIFA+ originals

FIFA has launched its own direct-to-consumer streaming platform, FIFA+.

FIFA+ will include live matches from 100 member associations around the globe, the federation’s extensive archive of content from men’s and women’s World Cups, a match centre that includes data, news, interactive games, and more, as well as original content.You can read more details on the service’s offering here. 

Ahead of the service’s launch today, 12 April, FIFA+ commissioning editor and content lead for global originals, James Abraham, told Broadcast Sport about some of what the channel is looking for when it comes to original content. 

Abraham mentioned that credibility and authenticity are important to the platform, and explained that on launch: “What we didn’t want to do was trot out a load of formats which are pundits and journalists talking to footballers, because I think you see that every day. You see that on match day, you see it in the newspapers, and I think if we’d have done that we’d have missed a trick.

“Part of the challenge of launching FIFA+ was to launch something that feels innovative, rather than something which feels like it could have been on your terrestrial broadcaster five or six years ago.”

FIFA+ launch original content

Ronaldinho: The Happiest Man in the World - An exclusive, feature-length documentary offering extensive access to and never-seen-before archive of one of the most iconic players to have played the game. The 90-minute film directed by Stuart and Andrew Douglas, produced by Bernie Goldmann and by Simon Horsman and Jeffrey Soros of Los Angeles Media Fund, tells the unique story of the player’s life, charting his rise from the streets of Brazil to becoming one of football’s most loved players. Lionel Messi, Frank Rijkaard and Carles Puyol all feature and reveal what this FIFA Legend means to them.

Captains: Season 1 - A ground-breaking 8-part series from Fulwell 73 (Sunderland ‘Til I Die, All or Nothing: Juventus) following six captains as they lead their countries through qualification for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. The series, which will explore each individual’s leadership traits, features Luka Modrić (Croatia), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Brian Kaltak (Vanuatu), Andre Blake (Jamaica), Hassan Maatouk (Lebanon) and Thiago Silva (Brazil).  

Croatia: Defining a Nation - This original feature-length documentary tells the story of how football unites and binds this nation and a group of friends who reached global recognition against the backdrop of the most extreme adversity. They each became legends and painted their country across the world. From acclaimed director Louis Myles (Kaiser: The Greatest Footballer Never to Play Football, Liverpool FC: The 30-Year Wait).  

HD Cutz - An original 8-part docuseries with barber to the stars Sheldon Edwards talking food, fashion, music and, sometimes, football. Featuring the likes of Paul Pogba and Antonio Rüdiger, produced by MOTIF Pictures and Fever Media.  

Dani Crazy Dream - An all-access 6 x 30-minute documentary series featuring Dani Alves, the most decorated player in history as he tries to make it to the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Produced by Alves’s own production company, Maracanã Media.  

Golden Boot - An original 4 x 48-minute docuseries interviewing the greatest FIFA World Cup goalscorers, produced by Goalhanger Films (Wayne Rooney: The Man Behind the Goals). Episode 1 sees Gary Lineker sitting down with Brazilian great Ronaldo Nazário to rewatch the 2002 FIFA World Cup.  

Icons - A 5 x 26-minute docuseries showcasing five of the biggest game-changers of the women’s game: Wendie Renard, Lucy Bronze, Asisat Oshoala, Carli Lloyd and Sam Kerr telling their stories in their own words. Produced by Noah Media Group (14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, Finding Jack Charlton).

Academies - The inside story of some of the greatest talent production lines in world football from Shoot the Company. Season 1 tells the story of RSC Anderlecht across 3 x 30-minute episodes. 

When it comes to the specifics of that different content, Abraham revealed: “Deconstructing the traditional set as well is something you’ll see across a lot of FIFA+, and and a lot of our promotional materials as well. We want to come across as more of a behind the scenes brand than a traditional broadcaster.

“We want to be inclusive of the audience. We want to make them feel like they’re a stakeholder, not just passively consuming our content. So HD Cutz [an interview series you can learn more about from Abraham and Motif Pictures producer James Craggs here] you see outtakes across the credits, you’ll see cameras in shot, in foreground and stuff like that. We completely embrace that sort of thing. That’s part of the overall content strategy baked in throughout all of the originals.”

He added: “Setting out from the start that we will take you where cameras can’t normally go is quite important.”

However, shows don’t need to appeal to every audience, with Abraham clear that there will be a mix of content on the service: From an umbrella point of view, when we look at all the commissions, it’s OK for something to be slightly skewed in one way because holistically we’ve got a really good mix.”

FIFA+ launches today, and is available across all web and mobile devices, with a range of connected devices to be added soon. It launches with five language editions (English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish), with an additional six languages to follow in June of 2022.