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Why you might not see the FIFA Women’s World Cup

Let us immediately sweep the first argument that could be invoked: the hearings. According to Fifa, the previous Women’s World Cup was the most watched in history with more than a billion viewers (including digital platforms), compared to 850 million in 2015 in Canada. The only France-Norway match in Nice had exceeded 10 million viewers.

However, to date, the Women’s World Cup, which will take place from July 20 to August 20 in Australia and New Zealand, still does not have a broadcaster.

Two reasons given

As indicate our colleagues from Figarothe cost of rights and match times – the matches will be broadcast around noon due to the time lag – could explain this situation.

This Wednesday, five European ministers called for “quickly find an arrangement”.

“Because of the strong potential of this competition and the sporting and societal challenges associated with it, we consider thatit is our duty to fully mobilize all stakeholders so that they can quickly find an arrangementargue the French, German, Italian, Spanish and British Sports Ministers in this text published in Paris.

These ministers say to themselves “aware of the legitimate interests and budgetary constraints that weigh on both rights holders and independent broadcasters, who both need viable economic models” and sayalso recognize the specific organizational constraints that are likely to affect the ‘market value’ of the rights for European broadcasters (period and hours of retransmission)”.

‘A FIFA problem’

Several voices are raised indicating that the problem comes more from Fifa than from the broadcasters themselves.

Laurent-Éric Le Lay, the sports director of the public service, explained that he had not made an offer because the price requested by Fifa – from 15 to 20 million euros – was not within the limits. “means” by France Televisions “quite simply”stating in particular that “the first match of the French women’s football team starts at the same time as the start of the women’s Tour de France on Sunday at noon”.

On the side of the private channels, M6through its chairman of the executive board Nicolas de Tavernost had published a message on his Twitter account on May 16 saying that he agreed to broadcast the Women’s World Cup but “to one prix consistent” taking into account match broadcast times.

An opinion also shared by the new coach of Les Bleues Hervé Renard, who indicated on the set of leg sports what “It’s a problem with FIFA, which is too demanding in terms of rights”.

Questioned on this subject on Wednesday on France 2the French Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, judged that “Fifa will probably have to be less greedy and remember that there are obstacles related to temporality”.

Fifa does not ask for the moon

For her part, the director of women’s football at Fifa Sarai Bareman estimated on RTL that the federation did not ask “not the moon”, what “does not ask for the same amounts as for the men’s World Cup” (between 65 and 70 million), adding wanting “increase the value of women’s football”.

“If the offers continue to be unfair (towards women and women’s football), we will be forced not to broadcast the FIFA Women’s World Cup in the ‘big five’ European countries”for his part threatened the president of the body Gianni Infantino.

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