As many know, the 2026 World Cup was played in North America and produced huge numbers. According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the event drew an estimated 6 billion viewers worldwide. 

That explains why FIFA is expected to get huge bids from networks like ESPN, Fox, and others. 

This last go-around, Fox paid FIFA just under $500 million. With numbers like those, you must think the organization is going to want more than double that to televise the matches. 

The 2030 tournament is set to be hosted primarily in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with opening matches slated for Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. Saudi Arabia will serve as the lone host in 2034. 

So, they will be accepting bids for both years. The interesting part of all of this is that no one was allowed to bid for the 2026 World Cup because Fox Sports and Telemundo already had the rights. 

The World Cup’s massive audience makes broadcasting rights a valuable prize 

The final, which featured Spain vs. Argentina, drew more than 65 million viewers worldwide, second only to the Super Bowl. You must imagine that those numbers may double, especially with the tournament being held in Spain in 2034.