FIFA president Gianni Infantino has threatened to “not show” the Women’s World Cup in major European countries if offers from television stations remain far below expectations, according to a statement released on Tuesday.
“To be perfectly clear, we consider our refusal to sell the Women’s World Cup a moral and legal obligation”, which will be played in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20, the official said on Monday at a table round of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
For several months now, the president of the governing body of world football has been fighting proposals, which he considers “unacceptable”, from the main European broadcasters for the most important women’s football tournament in the world, of “20 to 100 times lower than those received for the Men’s World Cup”.
Due to the time difference, negotiations have become particularly difficult in Europe and have not been finalized in football’s “big five countries” (Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Italy and France), while FIFA has already signed contracts with broadcasters. from the United States, Canada and Brazil.
“If broadcasters continue to be unfair to the Women’s World Cup and to women, we will have an obligation not to show the Women’s World Cup in these five big European countries”, threatened Gianni Infantino.
The manager recalled that broadcasters paid “between 100 and 200 million dollars” for the men’s World Cup, but are only willing to offer “1 to 10 million dollars for the women’s World Cup”, when their audiences represent “from 50 to 60% ” of the men’s tournament.
Speaking about the time difference, he said it was true that matches “will not be shown in prime time in Europe”, but will be played “at 9 or 10 am, which is very reasonable”.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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