Fifa, football’s global governing body, issued on Tuesday a tender in sub-Saharan Africa for rights to a number of events to be held in 2019, including the Women’s World Cup in France.
The rights-holder is offering platform neutral rights to the Women’s World Cup; U-17 World Cup; U-20 World Cup; and the Beach Soccer World Cup.
The ITT stipulates a “question-and-answer” period, running from March 12 to April 1, during which potential bidders can engage with Fifa on the process. The deadline for bids to be received by Fifa is 10:00 CET on April 2.
Pay-television broadcaster SuperSport held the rights to the 2017 editions of the U-17 World Cup, U-20 World Cup, and Beach Soccer World Cup.
StarTimes held the sub-Saharan Africa rights to the 2015 edition of the Women’s World Cup alongside public-service broadcasters across the region via a deal with the African Union of Broadcasters. However, these rights did not include South Africa, with domestic broadcaster SABC dealing with Fifa directly.
Meanwhile, broadcaster Sky Italia has picked up pay-television rights to all 52 matches (37 exclusive) from the 2019 Women’s World Cup. Fifa is yet to announce its free-to-air partner. Rights in Italy to the 2015 edition were held by sports broadcaster Eurosport as part of its wider pan-European deal agreed with Fifa.
The 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup begins on June 7.