Apple close to securing $1B TV rights to new FIFA soccer tournament

Apple's next addition to its sports coverage could involve more soccer, with Apple said to be close to signing a billion-dollar deal for a new tournament.

Apple already offers sports fans a lot of games and matches in a few major franchises to watch via their streaming devices. While the Major League Soccer's Season Pass has been successful and airs many matches to subscribers, Apple's next foray could provide even more.

According to sources of the New York Times, soccer's governing body FIFA is close to making an agreement with Apple. The agreement would give Apple the rights to stream a month-long World Cup-style tournament between top teams around the world.

Multiple sources say that the deal could be announced in April. As to how much it could cost Apple, it is thought that the deal could be valued at $1 billion.

Even so, this would be just a quarter of the $4 billion FIFA apparently initially estimated for the rights. It is also unclear if the rights would be exclusive to Apple and its subscribers, or if there will be some form of free-to-air element.

The tournament will feature teams from around the globe, playing over the course of a month in a competition similar in structure to the World Cup. Successful teams from around the world are set to take part, including 12 from Europe.

However, the tournament has struggled to get underway so far, thanks to allegedly poor planning and delays. Sponsors have also apparently been reluctant to confirm they will pay the $150 million for sponsorship packages for the sporting event.

This is far from the only bid made to increase what sports content could be viewed on Apple TV+, as Apple has reportedly made numerous attempts to get more sporting rights.

In September 2023, Apple was allegedly mulling over a $2 billion per year deal for exclusive Formula 1 coverage, and looked into getting local NBA TV rights in August of the same year.