France Télévisions plays down World Cup chances

Public-service broadcaster France Télévisions is unlikely to acquire rights for the 2014 Fifa World Cup national team football tournament, according to director of sport Daniel Bilalian.

French commercial broadcaster TF1 is seeking to sublicense the rights to 36 of the tournament’s 64 games, but Bilalian told French newspaper l’Equipe that France Télévisions was more likely to seek a rights deal for the Uefa Euro 2016 national team tournament, which will take place in France.

“The problem we have at France Télévisions is our financial constraints,” Bilalian told French newspaper l’Equipe. “I do not think we can acquire a number of games. I think we will reserve our efforts for Euro 2016 to be held in France. I hope that my president agrees with me.”

French pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has live rights to all Euro 2016 games in France, with commercial broadcasters TF1 and M6 having live rights to 11 games each.