Apple Working to Secure Streaming Rights to FIFA Club World Cup

Apple is working to secure an exclusive TV deal with soccer governing organization FIFA, reports The New York Times. FIFA will launch a revamped version of Club World Cup in 2025, and Apple wants the TV rights. Club World Cup 2025 will feature 32 teams from each of the six confederations.

fifa
An agreement between Apple and FIFA could be announced as soon as this month, and the first tournament will take place in the United States next summer. Apple could be paying around $1 billion, and The New York Times says it is not yet clear if there will be any free-to-air rights. If not, the entire tournament could be available only to Apple TV+ subscribers.

Apple has already shelled out $2.5 billion to secure global broadcasting rights to Major League Soccer. MLS and League Cup games are streamed on ‌Apple TV‌+, with access priced at $14.99 per month or $99 per season for non-subscribers and $12.99 per month or $79 per season for those who subscribe to ‌Apple TV‌+.

Apple sees live sports as a way to lure new customers to the ‌Apple TV‌+ streaming service. In addition to the MLS deal, it has also secured a deal with Major League Baseball. Apple negotiated for NFL Sunday Ticket access, and while that didn't work out, a report from The Athletic suggests that Apple is still in the running to secure some streaming access to NBA games.

Earlier this year, Apple introduced a dedicated Apple Sports app that allows users to get real-time scores and stats for their favorite teams. The app is able to sync with the My Sports experience in the ‌Apple TV‌ app.

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Top Rated Comments

Whats-a-computer? Avatar
18 months ago
Background information for non "soccer" fans: the fifa club worldcup isnt new, its just bigger now. It never was a relevant tournament in the soccer world. Not sure it will be now. Probably wont make AppleTV+ much more popular.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brenster Avatar
18 months ago
Save me from the unwanted expense of funding broadcasters/streamers overpaying/bidding for sports rights, loading up the rest of us with the increased costs whether we want to watch or not - absolutely not in my case. cf Sky, Amazon, BT/TNT etc all trying to outbid each other for UK & European soccer rights. The quantities of money involved defy belief and the failure to increase subscribers to cover it all means the existing subscriber base gets to pay the increased costs.

Let those who want to watch this stuff assume the full burden of the broadcaster/streamer's largesse.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ELman Avatar
18 months ago
That's great. Just keep it as a separate subscription offering and don't raise the Apple TV Plus price.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bigchrisfgb Avatar
18 months ago

Background information for non "soccer" fans: the fiifa club worldcup isnt new, its just bigger now. It never was a relevant tournament in the soccer world. Not sure it will be now. Probably wont make AppleTV+ much more popular.
It’s being massively reconfigured and virtually rebranded though.
The amount of elite teams taking part, and the change in the calendar will make it much more popular than before.
It’s not Champions League, or Premier League levels popular, but much more than before.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Fuzzball84 Avatar
18 months ago
I don't mind the sport but not the FIFA governing body. I'm sure FIFA will be rubbing their hands at the prospect of Apple wanting some of that product.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
epox999 Avatar
18 months ago

Formula 1, now Fifa...
Apple doesn't have F1 rights? What do you mean
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)