Qatar 2022: "I don't think there's any less interest than for previous editions" (J. Millereux, TF1)

"We are obviously sensitive to what is happening in Qatar and the themes involved but we are not going to deprive the French of this competition, it is our mission to broadcast it. The World Cup is a major event. The audience for the announcement of Didier Deschamps' squad for the competition, which took place last week, was better than the announcement of the squad for the 2018 World Cup (7.3 million viewers on average compared to 6.3 million in 2018). Today, I don't think that the interest in the World Cup in Qatar is any less than for previous editions," said Julien Millereux, director of sports for the French free-TV group TF1, who spoke to News Tank Football on 16/11/2022.

The private free-TV channel TF1 and the pay-TV group beIN Sports France share the broadcasting rights, in France, to the 2022 World Cup, which they acquired on 14/01/2016 (at the same time as those for the 2018 World Cup). 44% of the matches of the competition will be broadcast free-to-air. TF1 will broadcast 28 matches, including 12 matches in the final phase (five Round of 16 games, three quarter-finals…