Negotiations between China Central Television (CCTV) and FIFA over the broadcasting rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups are ongoing, and according to domestic sports media outlet “Sports Industry Eco-Circle,” a deal is expected to be reached before the tournament kicks off.
Reports indicate that FIFA is asking for a bundled price of approximately $800 million (around 5.4 billion yuan) for the two tournaments. While this is significantly higher than the $300 million paid for the previous two World Cups, it remains lower than the $480 million paid by the United States for a single edition—though the U.S. is one of the host nations for 2026.
However, the same source reveals that FIFA has offered a tempting sweetener: the 2030 World Cup is highly likely to expand to 64 teams. If that happens, China’s national team would have a realistic chance of qualifying for the first time in decades. This makes the current asking price a reasonable “advance investment” for CCTV, as purchasing the rights separately for the expanded tournament would likely cost even more.
For CCTV, the financial equation makes sense. By sublicensing parts of the broadcasting rights to other Chinese platforms and leveraging advertising revenue—especially from Chinese companies that are official FIFA partners—the network can recoup most of its investment. Advertising alone from those sponsors could reach 500 million yuan per edition. Industry estimates suggest that CCTV stands to earn at least 5 billion yuan from a single World Cup, meaning the two tournaments combined could generate over 10 billion yuan (approximately $1.36 billion) in revenue.
Given the potential returns and the strategic value of securing China’s broadcast presence, both FIFA and CCTV are expected to finalize a deal well before the 2026 World Cup begins.