Italian media group Mediaset has confirmed it has entered a bid for the domestic rights to the 2018 and 2022 editions of national team football tournament the Fifa World Cup.
Multiple reports linked Mediaset with a bid last week, with the Radiocor Plus news service stating it is poised to rival long-term World Cup rights-holder, state broadcaster Rai, with one other broadcaster in contention.
World football’s governing body, aided by the MP & Silva agency, opened a tender process for free-to-air and pay-television rights at the end of August, with offers being entertained until September 12.
Speaking during the presentation of its half-yearly financial results, Mediaset’s chief financial officer Marco Giordani said, according to the Calcio e Finanza website: “We are in the market and are interested in rights.” He added that Mediaset’s offer would be “rational” from a financial perspective.
Rai secured rights for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups and Mediaset has never broadcast the tournament, which will take place in Russia and Qatar, respectively, for its next two editions.