January 26 – FIFA has signed its first broadcasting contract for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups with Qatar-based Al Jazeera Sport, football’s world governing body announced today.
The Gulf emirate last month won the right to stage the 2022 event.
The contract covers 23 territories and countries in the Middle East and North Africa, including Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Morocco and Palestine.
“It is great news for football fans throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa, who will now be guaranteed the very best programming of the world’s most followed sports event,” said Nasser Al Khelaifi, general manager of Al-Jazeera Sport.
FIFA sold commercial rights to last year’s World Cup in South Africa for $3.4 billion and has said the 2014 event in Brazil will raise $3.7 billion.
The deal with Al Jazeera Sport renews a contract the Gulf broadcaster signed in 2009 to televise the 2010 and 2014 tournaments.
“FIFA’s aim is to make the World Cup as accessible to as many people around the world as possible, and for this we thankfully have an immensely strong partner in Al Jazeera Sport for the Middle East and North Africa,” Jerome Valcke, FIFA’s general secretary, said.
Al Jazeera’s World Cup coverage in 2010 was marred when live pictures of some matches, including the opening game, froze, leading to complaints from across the Middle East.
The broadcaster said saboteurs in Jordan had jammed its signal.
The Jordanian Government denied the claim.