After the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup, the International Football Federation (FIFA) is expected to launch the bidding process for the broadcasting rights for the 2030 World Cup. Sources familiar with the matter indicate that the opening of this competition should take place in the second half of the year.
Behind the scenes, intense competition is anticipated involving Globo and the controlling company of CazéTV, each presenting proposals with different approaches to FIFA. The outcome of this dispute will be determined by a combination of financial values and strategic projections for the future of the sport.
Different negotiation strategies: revenue sharing model versus direct purchase
In March 2021, an agreement reached with FIFA led Globo to give up its exclusivity over streaming rights. LiveMode, responsible for CazéTV, then assumed the representation of FIFA to negotiate these rights for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. Although the sale to third parties did not prosper, LiveMode, through CazéTV, established a co-production format for all games for FIFA+, guaranteeing the showing of a match on its own channel, with advertising revenue sharing.
CazéTV’s success in 2022 led to a partnership with YouTube, resulting in the joint acquisition of streaming rights for the 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup.
As in Qatar, the revenue generated by advertising would be shared. However, for the championship hosted in Canada, the United States and Mexico, FIFA has established a minimum guaranteed amount. This expected revenue level is substantial, requiring a significant volume of advertising from CazéTV for the initiative to be financially viable.
At the same time, Globo opted for the traditional acquisition of broadcasting rights, guaranteeing the showing of 52 matches on open television.
Both companies rely on selling large advertising packages to cover their operating costs. However, there is a fundamental distinction in their approaches. The CazéTV model has a strong focus on advertising in the betting sector. The recent regulation by the Ministry of Justice, which restricts the advertising of “bets”, may impact advertising commitments and, consequently, reduce revenues. CazéTV itself has already adjusted its broadcasts, removing mentions of odds.
The global broadcaster also shows advertising for betting houses, but its insertions are more conventional, without the interaction of narrators and commentators discussing probabilities, as was common on CazéTV. This particularity can significantly influence the scenario of competition for future rights.
A new revenue opportunity for both broadcasters will arise with hydration breaks. President Gianni Infantino confirmed that FIFA will maintain the “cooling breaks”, a measure that, if applied to the 2030 World Cup, will expand the chances of advertising revenue.
Additionally, before the last World Cup, FIFA expanded broadcasting rights for content holders on YouTube.
These two developments strengthen CazéTV’s position in the dispute: the first, by diversifying the sources of revenue, and the second, by the partnership with the platform. CazéTV has investors such as GA and XP, and its business model is based on collaboration with YouTube.
Internally at Globo, renewing the rights to the World Cup is considered a high priority, and the broadcaster has historically had considerable financial resources for investment.
A political factor could also influence the scenario: the friction between the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and LiveMode, the controlling company of CazéTV. The divergence between the entities is linked to the future of the Brazilian Championship League, since LiveMode is an ally of investors in Futebol Forte União, which brings together nine clubs from Series A.
Despite the friction with the CBF, to date no negative influence has been observed on FIFA’s assessment of CazéTV. The business director of football’s governing body, Romy Gay, stated in an interview that the broadcaster is among the competitors for the 2030 rights.
In terms of political recognition, during the World Cup, FIFA praised both Globo’s audience record in Brazil’s broadcast and CazéTV’s world record for simultaneous views on YouTube, which reached 18.3 million connected devices (reaching 21 million in Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Japan).
The ability to generate these high audiences will also be an important criterion in FIFA’s decision, although the financial aspect will remain the priority.
To date, FIFA has not signed an exclusive sale with any agency for 2030, unlike what happened with LiveMode for 2026. This opens up the possibility for a single player, such as Globo or CazéTV, to acquire the complete World Cup package for the next cycles, negotiating sublicenses later. This value, however, tends to be substantially high. Another alternative is to maintain the model of division of rights, as currently occurs.
It is in this environment of multiple variables and possibilities that the fierce dispute for the rights to the next edition of the biggest football tournament on the planet will unfold.
