FIFA is struggling to find sponsors for its first-ever 32-a-side Club World Cup next summer in the United States, but is on the verge of signing a billion-dollar deal with Apple for TV rights of the competition.
One year before the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States (June 15-July 13), the very first edition with 32 teams (including PSG, the only French club), Fifa had difficulty finding sponsors. Gianni Infantino’s body is seeking 140 million euros in revenue, but its usual commercial partners have not shown much interest in this new version, as indicated in the New York Times. Fortunately, an XXL deal with Apple will change everything.
The tech giant could purchase the TV rights to the competition for a billion dollars (probably for the 2025 edition alone). An agreement is close, still according to NY Times, and it would be quite a revolution for Fifa, which would for the first time cede all the TV rights for a competition to a single broadcaster. For the whole world, therefore!
Apple TV+ soon essential?
The Cupertino company is already the exclusive broadcaster of MLS since the arrival of Lionel Messi last summer at Inter Miami. The TV rights were purchased for 10 years for 2.5 billion dollars! The meetings can be found on Apple TV+ in the four corners of the planet. The VOD service is accessible in France on the internet, the application and some TV boxes (the MLS Season Pass is offered at 9.99 euros per month).
Twelve European teams will compete in this “Club World Super”. In addition to PSG, we will find the last four winners of the Champions League, including Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City, as well as the best European teams over the last four years (two maximum per country), namely Inter Milan, Juventus, Atlético, Porto, Benfica and Salzburg.
