According to The New York Times, Apple is negotiating an exclusive TV agreement with FIFA, the soccer governing organization. FIFA plans to remodel the Club World Cup in 2025, and Apple wants TV rights. Club World Cup 2025 will have 32 teams from the six confederations.
Apple and FIFA could announce an agreement as early as this month, with the inaugural competition in the United States next summer. According to The New York Times, Apple may pay roughly $1 billion, and it is still being determined whether there will be free-to-air rights. If not, the complete tournament may only be available to Apple TV+ subscribers.
Apple has previously paid $2.5 billion to acquire global television rights to Major League Soccer. MLS and League Cup games are available to stream on Apple TV+. Non-subscribers pay $14.99 per month or $99 per season, while subscribers pay $12.99 or $79 per season.
Apple views live sports as a means to draw new consumers to the streaming service Apple TV+. In addition to the MLS agreement, it has signed a pact with Major League Baseball. Apple lobbied for NFL Sunday Ticket access, and while that did not work out, The Athletic reports that Apple is still in the running to secure limited streaming rights to NBA games.
Earlier this year, Apple released a dedicated Apple Sports app that allows users to view real-time scores and information for their favorite teams. The app can connect with the My Sports experience in the Apple TV app.