Fifa

The World Cup rights deals signed by Fifa in the UK and Germany just before the current tournament kicked off confirmed the difficulties the governing body has had in securing decent fee increases in both markets and in Europe generally.

Television coverage of the first round of group games for the 2014 Fifa World Cup broke viewing records in a number of markets, according to world football’s governing body.

German public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF have acquired rights for the 2022 Fifa World Cup national football team tournament, which is scheduled to take place in Qatar.

New technology and fan-friendly scheduling is set to result in the 2014 World Cup generating a record global television audience, according to Fifa’s director of television Niclas Ericson.

The centenary version of the Copa América, which will take place in the US in June 2016, looks likely to earn at least twice as much in media rights income as the 2015 Copa América.

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.

Lebanese state broadcaster Tele Liban is close to agreeing a deal for rights to the 2014 Fifa World Cup national team football tournament, according to the Daily Star newspaper.

The International Olympic Committee has robustly defended last week’s long-term deal with US media group NBCUniversal on the three key areas in which it has come under scrutiny.

Uefa is on course to earn more than expected from the sale of its European Qualifiers media rights from 2014-15 to 2017-18, according to research conducted by TV Sports Markets with local media sources over the last 12 months.

Swedish telecommunications and media company Millicom has acquired mobile rights in seven Latin American countries to the 2014 Fifa World Cup national team football tournament.

Uefa enjoyed differing levels of success in the sales of its club competition rights in France and Southeast Asia last month. The outcome points to a cooling of the French market but suggests there is still margin for substantial growth in several major Asian territories.

Rights-holders need a ‘different mindset' in Africa, report says

World football’s governing body Fifa has denied reports that German public-service broadcaster ZDF’s coverage of the 2014 World Cup will be available to viewers in the Middle East and Northern Africa.

Niclas Ericson, director of Fifa’s television division, has confirmed world football’s governing body is working on 8K production for this summer’s World Cup national team tournament in Brazil.

Fifa, world football’s governing body, has opened an invitation to tender for media rights in the UK to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup national team competitions.

Fifa, football’s world governing body, and Japanese electronics company Sony have extended their range of 4K broadcast initiatives for the 2014 World Cup national team tournament.