Women’s World Cup Avoids TV Blackout In Japan As FIFA Finally Strikes Deal

Threats of a broadcast blackout for this year’s Women’s World Cup in Japan were averted after FIFA announced on the opening day of the tournament that it had struck a deal with broadcaster NHK.

Japan, a highly lucrative market for TV rights, was the last major country where a broadcast deal not had been finalized so far.

Earlier, Japan head coach Futoshi Ikeda said a blackout could harm the development of the women’s game in Japan, who won the World Cup in 2011 after beating the U.S. in the final on penalties. The Nadeshiko also reached the final in 2015.

Japan will make their ninth World Cup appearance this time, starting their Group C campaign against Zambia before facing Costa Rica and Spain.

The team, ranked 11th in the world, was knocked out in the last-16 by the Netherlands at the last edition in 2019.

TV Blackout Fears

Previously there had also been fears of a blackout in Europe’s top soccer nations but later FIFA reached an agreement with broadcasters in Britain, Spain, France, Germany and Italy.

In a statement on Thursday, FIFA said it had concluded its final broadcast sales for the World Cup following the completion of several deals in Asia.

The free-to-air deals also include China with CCTV, while other sales have been concluded in Central Asia (Saran), Chinese Taipei (ELTA), Hong Kong (PCCW), the Maldives (Medianet), Mongolia (Content Distribution LLC) and the Philippines (Cignal TV).

“We are delighted to have completed these final sales, including two major markets, which will ensure the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is one of the greatest sporting events ever and will be viewed in every corner of the world,” said FIFA’s Chief Business Officer Romy Gai.

“We saw from the tournament in France in 2019 that women’s football presented a huge opportunity, which is why we took the decision to sell the rights for 2023 on a standalone basis. That decision has now been fully justified.

“We are especially happy that the tournament will be widely available on free-to-air which gives us the chance to attract new audiences for women’s football. The revenues from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will be entirely reinvested in women’s football, helping it to develop still further in the future.”

The recent broadcast deals mean that the World Cup will be shown in over 200 territories, through 130 broadcasters and FIFA’s own platform FIFA+ in the remaining markets.

At least 70 of the broadcasters will be present during the competition in Australia and New Zealand, FIFA added.

No More Bundled Packages

TV rights for this year’s World Cup had become a contentious issue.

The rights for this year’s tournament are being sold separately from the men’s World Cup for the first time. Previously, broadcasters gained TV rights for World Cups through bundled packages while buying access to the men’s World Cup.

To reach out to a younger audience, FIFA has also struck a deal with TikTok, the first with a social media platform, for tailored social media content including behind-the-scenes moments during the World Cup, which kicks off later on Thursday.