FIFA president Gianni Infantino has slammed broadcasters for what he deemed to be unacceptable offers for 2023 Women’s World Cup rights.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the draw for the tournament, Infantino claimed that in some cases broadcasters were bidding 1% or less of what they offered to show the men’s World Cup.
“100 times less, even more than 100 times in some occasions, then this is not acceptable,” Infantino said. “I don’t want to mention them, but those who are there, they know it.”
“We are not going to accept this,” Infantino added, “because we know that the viewing figures for these broadcasters in some big footballing countries for the men’s World Cup or for the Women’s World Cup are actually very similar … meaning their commercial income is very similar for men and for women.”
Infantino’s claims echoed those of FIFA’s Chief Business Officer Romy Gai, who this week hit out at “a lack of willingness of broadcasters to pay what the women’s game deserves.”
Bloomberg reported that FIFA turned down offers from Italy, Germany, France and the UK to broadcast next summer’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand, and expects to do the same with an offer from Spain.
Infantino also took aim at a perceived hypocrisy in the low offers, which came from countries that have advocated for FIFA to invest more money in the women’s game.