The right to televise soccer is a multi-billion dollar business, for both FIFA and the broadcaster in each country. FIFA negotiates rights deal with the various countries individually or with regions, with the broadcasters signing agreements with smaller countries. Although FIFA makes billions from selling the media rights, the biggest priority is to reach as many people as possible. This is why FIFA has extended the deal with Chinese broadcaster CCTV, giving them the media rights in China for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
The deal covers more than just the two World Cups. CCTV has the media rights for all major international soccer competitions until 2022, which includes the Women’s World Cup next year. This is an extension of an existing deal between FIFA and CCTV which began in 1978.
“China has an important role to play in FIFA’s global development strategy,” FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura said.
“Our close partnership with CCTV, reinforced by this new two-cycle deal, will make the FIFA World Cup even more accessible to the Chinese audience, increase further the popularity of the game in the country, and support the development of Chinese football.”
The Chinese team failed to qualify for 2018). Soccer rights are lucrative enough that even if the national team fails to qualify, there is still enough revenue to justify the cost of the rights. FIFA and CCTV did not disclose the commercial terms of the agreement.