In what can only be labeled a debacle of an announcement, last week FOX and Telemundo were awarded the rights to the 2026 World Cup. The FIFA press release shocked everyone in the media since many of the big players, mainly ESPN, NBC and Univision, were left in the dark as to whether a bidding process even occurred, as it did for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in 2011. Since the announcement, it has been revealed that FIFA approached Telemundo and provided them with the opportunity to purchase the 2026 rights.

Reaction to the World Cup 2026 Rights Debacle

This now means that soccer fans will have to endure the next three World Cups on Fox and Telemundo. It wouldn’t be a huge issue if it weren’t for the fact that ESPN and Univision have set the bar on fans’ expectations of what World Cup coverage should look like.

ESPN dedicated countless hours across all platforms, which included pre and post-game shows, nightly wrap ups and discussions, even Sportscenter highlights and segments. Univision on their part engrained the entire network with the World Cup spirit, news and talk shows dedicated a majority of their time and segments on World Cup chatter. Let’s not forget about the online availability of free streaming via both ESPN3 and Univision’s online platforms of all games. ESPN3 even provided fans with various angles and the ability to view the games on demand for free.

On the other hand, FOX and Telemundo aren’t new to covering the sport. Fox does have experience covering soccer as one could arguably make the case that they had a huge hand in growing the international sport in the U.S. and Canada with the growth of the first ever dedicated channel to international soccer in Fox Soccer Channel 2005-2011, formerly known as Fox Sports World. However, that was a different time and fans consumed the game differently. Fox now has Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 along with an online streaming service, but that is where the similarities between them and ESPN end. Telemundo has experience broadcasting Liga MX and Premier League games on their station and their sister station, Mun2, however, the World Cup will be their largest investment and endeavor into broadcasting an event of this magnitude. Telemundo currently offers live streaming of select games via En Vivo Extra on their website, so the Spanish language online option is on par with what Univision provided.

ESPN and ESPN2 are available in 97 million homes, while Fox Sports 1 is carried in 90 million homes and Fox Sports 2 in only 37 million homes. ESPN’s online streaming service, ESPN3.com, is available to any customer who has ESPN on their TV plan, while Fox’s online streaming service, foxsoccer2go.com, costs $19.99 per month and does not provide the service complimentary to customers who currently have Fox Sports through their TV provider. Fox Sports will need to improve on this front since World Cup fans in the U.S. are used to free online streaming of games and wall to wall coverage in the weeks leading up to and through the entirety of the tournament.

FOX currently broadcasts the Champions League, FA Cup, Europa League and select friendlies. Unfortunately, many games are pushed to Fox Sports 2 where there is a limited population of costumers and fans who have access. Fox Soccer Channel used to show the Champions League games and then replay non-televised games throughout the rest of the day, night and week. Fox Sports is no longer able to do this because of rights obligations to other sports such as College, UFC, NASCAR, Major League Baseball and National Football League.

World Cup fans are hoping that FOX will improve their coverage, accessibility and overall soccer strategy by 2018 when it’s time for the big show. This summer will provide an opportunity to get a glimpse as to the direction that FOX will take with their coverage when they will broadcast the U20 World Cup and Women’s World Cup in May and June, respectively. FOX Sports announced in December that they plan to dedicate extensive coverage to the Women’s World Cup this summer, so perhaps it will be best that we reserve our frustrations and judgment until then.

The interesting development to follow here is that the 2011 bidding that was awarded to FOX and Telemundo only involved the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Had it been know at the time that the 2026 World Cup would be part of the package; the bidding would have considerably been higher. Many believe that the 2026 World Cup has a good shot of ending up in the United States. A World Cup in the U.S., 32 years after the initial 1994 one, would be a huge ratings booster for whichever network holds the rights. There is no doubt that ESPN and Univision would have probably put forth a better offer than the one they presented in 2011 had a potential U.S. World Cup been part of the package. Then again, one could infer that had they put their best foot forward in 2011, they would not find themselves in the current situation, on the outside looking in and having to air their calculated frustrations over the past week.

After all, they will all have another shot for the 2030 rights at some point in the future. They will, won’t they?

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