July 26 – FIFA has issued an invitation to tender for centralised media rights to Africa’s 2026 World Cup qualifying matches ahead of the largest CAF World Cup qualifying in history.
The new-look format will qualify 10 African nations for the World Cup 2026, up from the maximum of five spots for the 2022 World Cup.
All 54 CAF nations will take part in qualifying that will have a record 273 qualifying matches spanning two years between 13 November 2023 and 18 November 2025.
FIFA took control of African nation media rights for 2022 and 2026 World Cup qualifying in August 2019, promising CAF members that under their centralised sales management they would be able to achieve greater revenue figures, and effectively getting a grip of the key commercial streams of CAF’s member nations.
For 2022 the process was disastrous for a number of nations who lost broadcast deals and subsequently sponsors as FIFA found they did not have the same leverage in national markets as the local FAs, and that broadcasters were unwilling or unable to pay hiked up fees for matches not involving their own countries. The result was that a significant number of World Cup 2022 qualifying matches either didn’t have a domestic broadcaster, or only found a broadcaster at the last minute.
With a doubling of African qualification slots for the 2026 World Cup, local interest in qualifying will be more intense and FIFA this time round will have a stronger sales case to make. For national associations it is vital that their national team matches are on the biggest broadcast networks in their countries to support their sponsor commitments.
FIFA said the tender will allow them to select media companies that are best-placed to meet the required transmission and production commitments.
Qualifying will be via a group phase of nine groups of six teams, each playing home and away in a round‑robin format. Group winners qualify directly for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The four best group runners-up will then compete in a play-off round for the CAF berth at the intercontinental play-off tournament.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1714383089labto1714383089ofdlr1714383089owedi1714383089sni@o1714383089fni1714383089