FIFA has launched the bidding process for United States media rights to the 2030 World Cup, offering broadcasters the opportunity to secure coverage of the 2034 tournament as well, amid uncertainty over whether hydration breaks introduced at the 2026 edition will remain part of the competition.
The global football governing body announced on Thursday that interested broadcasters have until November 19 to submit their bids, adding that it is willing to consider innovative approaches to expand the tournament’s reach among audiences.
The rights contest is expected to attract significant interest following the strong television performance of the 2026 World Cup, which recorded an average of 13.5 million viewers per match across linear television and streaming platforms in the United States.
According to FIFA, the figure represented a 166 per cent increase over the average audience for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Fox held exclusive English-language broadcast rights for the previous three World Cups in the United States, including the 2026 competition hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Telemundo held the Spanish-language rights over the same period.
However, FIFA has yet to determine whether hydration breaks, which created additional opportunities for broadcasters to air advertisements, will be retained for future tournaments.
FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai said the organisation was assessing the issue in consultation with stakeholders, with prevailing weather conditions likely to influence the decision.
Hydration breaks were introduced at the 2026 tournament to help players cope with high temperatures. Their commercial benefits, however, sparked debate among viewers, some of whom criticised the interruption of matches by advertisements during the three-minute stoppages in each half.
Gai said FIFA expected the breaks to be considered where temperatures in host countries were higher than normal, but stressed that their inclusion would not be automatic.
He added that further discussions were required before a final decision could be reached.
Three countries to host 2030 tournament
The 2030 World Cup will be hosted principally by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay also staging matches as part of celebrations marking the tournament’s centenary.
Saudi Arabia has been selected to host the 2034 edition, with the country’s climate expected to be a major consideration in determining the competition’s schedule.
FIFA is considering the possibility of staging the 2034 tournament during the Northern Hemisphere winter, potentially in November and December, rather than the traditional June-July period.
The approach would mirror the scheduling adjustment made for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar because of extreme summer temperatures.
Gai said the possibility was being considered but had not yet been formally discussed or confirmed. FIFA intends to assess the options before engaging bidders on the tournament’s scheduling arrangements.
Meanwhile, Netflix has announced that it has secured the rights to broadcast the 2030 World Cup in Spain and Andorra, highlighting the growing role of streaming platforms in football broadcasting.
FIFA’s latest bidding process comes as the organisation seeks to build on the 2026 tournament’s reported audience growth while weighing commercial opportunities against the sporting and viewing implications of changes to match procedures.
