FIFA has struck an agreement with YouTube that will allow the rights holders of its FIFA World Cup men’s soccer tournament to stream some matches on the video sharing platform in full, the companies announced on Tuesday.
Under the deal, media rights holders will be allowed to offer the kickoff and the first 10 minutes of all World Cup matches on YouTube for free, with a handful of matches available to stream in full on the platform.
The arrangement will also allow YouTube to offer behind-the-scenes videos and match recaps on the platform.
“FIFA is delighted to welcome YouTube as a Preferred Platform for the FIFA World Cup 2026,” FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström said in a statement. “By spotlighting FIFA’s premium content and unlocking new opportunities for Media Partners and creators, this agreement will engage global fans in ways never seen before.”
YouTube is the world’s largest video streaming platform, and accounts for more than 10 percent of all time spent with TV platforms in the U.S. each month, according to Nielsen data. The arrangement with FIFA is likely to benefit YouTube as much as it does traditional TV broadcasters: All matches will be offered in English on Fox Corporation’s channels and the Fox One streaming service, while Spanish-language rights are held by Comcast’s Telemundo, with matches in Spanish on Peacock.
By allowing soccer enthusiasts to sample the first 10 minutes of matches on YouTube, the arrangement could drive more sign-ups to Fox One and Peacock as fans look for ways to stream the event in full.
It wasn’t clear from YouTube’s announcement if Fox and Telemundo will stream matches on their channels.
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