Category: Sport
Date: 29.06.2005
Printable version
BBC and ITV today announced that they have signed a deal with FIFA to broadcast the World Cup Finals in 2010 and 2014.
Agreement has been reached with FIFA for rights to all 64 matches at the two tournaments in South Africa in five years' time and the subsequent World Cup in 2014, the venue for which has yet to be confirmed.
The deal includes live match rights and highlights for the entire tournaments.
The 2010 finals will be the twelfth consecutive World Cup that ITV and BBC have broadcast in tandem.
BBC Director-General Mark Thompson said: "We are delighted to have secured the rights for one of the biggest sporting events on the planet and that once again the whole competition is being made available on a free to air basis to the audience.
"We hope viewers at home will enjoy watching it as much as we will look forward to broadcasting it."
Nigel Pickard, ITV's Director of Programmes, said: "This is a hugely important deal for ITV and the BBC.
"As the choice of channels increases, live events are ever more important to attract national audiences - and they don't come any bigger than the football World Cup.
"ITV is delighted to be able to offer our viewers the next three on our channels, starting with 2006."
