FIFA President Gianni Infantino threatens to “not broadcast” the Women’s World Cup in major European countries. That is if their broadcasters’ offers remain far below their expectations.
The president said during a table tour organized on Monday at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization.
For months now, the head of world football has been lashing out at “unacceptable” proposals from the main European broadcasters for his flagship women’s tournament, “20 to 100 times less than those he got for the men’s World Cup,” he said again. FIFA press release.
Because of the time difference, negotiations proved particularly difficult in Europe and were unsuccessful with football’s “Big Five” – namely the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy and France – while FIFA had already signed with American, Canadian or Brazilian broadcasters.
And Gianni Infantino threatened, “As a result, if broadcasters continue to do no justice to the Women’s World Cup and to women, we will be forced to not broadcast the Women’s World Cup in these five big European countries.”
He noted that broadcasters were paying “between $100 and $200 million” for the men’s World Cup, but were only willing to give “1 to $10 million for the women’s World Cup”, while its audience was “about 50 and 60%”. starring men.
Putting aside the question of the time difference, he estimated that the matches would certainly “not be broadcast in prime time in Europe” but would be played “at 9:00 am or 10:00 am, which is still very reasonable”.
/ ATS
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