France/2026 & 2030 World Cups: M6 acquires "exclusive free-to-air rights to the majority of matches"

M6 has acquired from FIFA the "exclusive free-to-air rights to the majority of matches" of the 2026 World Cup (co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico) and the 2030 World Cup (co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco for most of the matches, official announcement expected in May 2024) in France, announced the French private free-TV group on X (ex-Twitter) on 07/03/2024.

It is reported to have acquired these rights for more than the €130m paid by the private free-TV group TF1 and pay-TV group beIN SPORTS France for the TV rights to the 2022 World Cup, according to RMC Sport on 05/03/2024. TF1 broadcast 28 matches at the tournament in Qatar, including 12 matches in the knockout phase (five round of 16 matches, three quarter-finals, the semi-finals, the match for third place and the final), while beIN SPORTS France broadcast all 64 matches on its channels, including 36 on an exclusive basis (including three Round of 16 matches and one quarter-final).

"We'll be watching the best matches from these two World Cups on the M6 group's channel. We used to go to the major competitions…