UK public-service broadcaster the BBC and commercial broadcaster ITV are set to retain their rights to the Fifa World Cup for the 2018 and 2022 editions of the national team football tournament, according to the Telegraph.
The newspaper said that the UK’s leading terrestrial broadcasters have been in advanced negotiations over a new World Cup deal, adding that an announcement could be made before this year’s tournament kicks off in Brazil on June 12.
The BBC and ITV have shown every World Cup since 1966, with their hold on the rights being aided in the pay-television era due to the competition being listed on the UK’s ‘crown jewels’ list of sporting events reserved for coverage on free-to-air television.
Fifa, world football’s governing body, last month opened an invitation to tender for media rights in the UK to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which will be held in Russia and Qatar respectively.
Following a question and answer period lasting from April 4-25, submissions to Fifa had to be received by April 28. Negotiations with preferred bidders opened on April 29.