2010 World Cup Broadcasting Rights

Interesting New York Times piece on world cup broadcast rights.

I noted that according to the sports research firm Sportcal, FIFA has generated over $2.15 billion revenue worldwide, from the sale of television rights for the 2010 world cup, an amount which is up 53 percent from the 2006 event in Germany, with a viewership of 26 billion.  

Fortunately, in Africa, FIFA and the African Union of Broadcasters have concluded a strategic cooperation agreement which ensures the distribution and broadcasting of all 64 FIFA World Cup matches live on free-to-air television and radio in 41 territories in English, French and Portuguese. The move has been welcomed by several African countries who cannot afford to pay the high prices for broadcast rights of the world cup. 

Broadcasting is an audio visual service classified under the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services as Communication Services (in the audio visual sub sector) while News Agency Services are a sub sector classified under the Recreational, Sporting and Cultural sector (see  WTO W/120). 


These services can be provided through mode 1 (cross border supply); mode 2 consumption abroad e.g. tourists travelling to South Africa to consume world cup related services; mode 3, commercial presence of a foreign entity; or mode 4- supply of a service through the movement of natural person (service provider) into a foreign market.

A list of FIFA’s global media rights licenses for the 2010 World Cup can be obtained here.