MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

FIFA awards 2026 World Cup rights to FOX without a bidding process

Uncertainty over the dates for the 2022 World Cup is said to have played a part in FIFA awarding FOX the 2026 rights.

The 2026 World Cup will be shown on FOX in the United States. The world soccer body awarded the rights on Thursday to Fox without a bidding process. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

 In 2011, Fox paid FIFA $425 million for the English language rights to the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups. Before the deal, ESPN held the rights to the FIFA World Cup from 1998 to 2014.

“These events are some of the world's most important sports competitions, and it is our privilege to be entrusted with these rights in the United States,” FOX said in a statement after FIFA awarded the rights.

Uncertainty over the dates for the 2022 World Cup is said to have played a part in FIFA awarding FOX the 2026 rights. Currently, FIFA is deciding whether it is best to stage the 2022 World Cup in Qatar during the normal summer slot.

A FIFA working group will present possible dates to host the event at a Feb. 23 meeting in Doha, Qatar. If the event is moved earlier or later in the calendar year it could conflict with other sports such as baseball and American football to which FOX holds the rights.

The location for the 2026 World Cup has not been determined, but three CONCACAF countries - Canada, Mexico and the United States - have all expressed interest in hosting. A CONCACAF country has not hosted the World Cup since 1994 when the tournament was hosted by the United States.