FIFA chief Gianni Infantino has threatened several countries including the UK with a blackout from broadcasting the Women’s World Cup this summer after being disappointed with the offers received to show the tournament. Speaking at a World Trade Organisation meeting in Geneva, Infantino suggested that plans may be put in place for a blackout in certain European countries.
The tournament, beginning in Australia and New Zealand on July 20, faces issues over time zones for several competing countries but the governing body’s president Infantino has been dismayed by the offers received from Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany and France as he described them as a “slap in the face”.
Infantino revealed that offers had been received in the region of £800,000 to £8million, a drop in the ocean compared to the men’s tournament which brought in £80m-160m.
“To be very clear, it is our moral and legal obligation not to undersell the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” Infantino said. “Therefore, should the offers continue not to be fair, we will be forced not to broadcast the FIFA Women’s World Cup into the ‘big five’ European countries. Public broadcasters in particular have a duty to promote and invest in women’s sport. Women deserve it. Simple as that.”
Infantino also dismissed concerns over time zones, as he insisted that while games would not be shown in prime slots, they represented “quite a reasonable time” for viewers in Europe.
Some 1.12 billion viewers tuned into the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France across all platforms, according to a FIFA audit of the tournament, as the BBC and ITV are expected to be among the British bidders for this year’s tournament.
Whether Infantino would follow through on his threat if broadcasters do not improve their offers remains to be seen, though FIFA do have other avenues they could pursue instead of a blackout.
The association have their own video streaming platform, FIFA+, which would allow them to broadcast directly to the consumer there or on its YouTube channel – as some regions broadcasted the final of the men’s tournament on YouTube this winter.
In previous editions of the World Cup, the women’s tournament was packaged alongside their male counterparts – meaning it is the first time a market value has been placed on the Women’s World Cup.
Both the BBC and ITV have been approached for comment.
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