Together with plans of pushing the 2022 Qatar World Cup in the fall, the FIFA has released a statement that the English-language media rights in the United States will still be with the 21st Century Fox all the way to 2026 while the Spanish-language media rights will be with Telemundo of NBC Universal.
The extension of the contract occurred without seemingly going through competitive bidding. Both companies have previously bought the FIFA's media rights for a billion dollars in the years 2015-2022. This deal was sealed even before the soccer's governing body began to consider pushing the World Cup from June to July period to months that do not reach 122 degrees Fahrenheit temperature in Qatar.
Sources have shared that FIFA executives are planning to move ahead, probably next month, with a process that will push the 2022 World Cup in November or December from the originally planned June or July, as Qatar heat during the summer is a factor that must be considered, CNN reported.
The schedule would then put the tournament to the middle of the NFL and fall television seasons.
Fox Sports released an official statement, saying "These events are some of the world's most important sports competitions, and it is our privilege to be entrusted with these rights in the United States. We're looking forward to the kick-off of FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 in June with great anticipation."
FIFA has not determined the 2026 World Cup location yet. This detail is expected to be revealed in the next two years. The United States, which lost its bid to Qatar for the 2022 tournament, is said to bid again.