Who has the TV rights for the 2022 World Cup?

In the United States, the hunt for TV rights extends right into the 2022 World Cup. In years prior, ESPN held on to the rights.

ESPN was at the core of some of the most memorable moments in recent World Cup history. In 2014, Mario Gotze’s goal against Argentina in extra time won Germany the World Cup. Eight years prior, ESPN broadcasted Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt against Italy in the Final. ESPN’s held the rights starting in 1994, when the World Cup came to the United States for the first time.

However, ESPN does not have the TV rights to the 2022 World Cup.

Instead, those belong to the provider responsible for the vast majority of international tournaments, FOX. That is just for English-language rights. Spanish audiences go through Telemundo and the related platforms.

Which provider has the TV rights for the 2022 World Cup?

In its bid to acquire as many international competition rights as possible, FOX bought the rights to the FIFA World Cup back in 2011. Back then, FIFA granted the rights to the men’s World Cup and Women’s World Cup. Therefore, the first World Cup to air on the FOX family of channels was the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada.

Since then, FOX broadcasted the 2018 World Cup from Russia. Now, it is set to broadcast the 2022 World Cup from Qatar for American audiences. FOX’s deal for World Cup rights includes the 2026 World Cup. However, ESPN is putting its name back in the ring to broadcast the 2030 World Cup.

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Spanish-language rights

As stated, the Spanish TV rights to the 2022 World Cup belong to Telemundo. The OTA channel also uses Universo to broadcast games. Telemundo also uses NBC’s paid-streaming platform, Peacock, to broadcast all 64 games at the World Cup.

Like FOX, Telemundo started broadcasting the World Cup in 2018, taking over from Univision and UniMás. The previous rights holder also had a tenure spanning over two decades, just like ESPN.

PHOTO: IMAGO / Laci Perenyi