Football fans in Azerbaijan, Iceland and Malta will be able to enjoy extensive free-to-air coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and FIFA World Cup 2030™, thanks to an extended media rights agreement between FIFA and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

The inclusion of EBU Member broadcasters İctimai (Azerbaijan), RÚV (Iceland) and PBS (Malta) builds on the initial deal announced earlier this year, which secured comprehensive rights for EBU Members in Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, and Hungary for 2026 and 2030, and in Israel for 2026.

EBU Members in these territories have committed to delivering comprehensive coverage of the tournaments, across TV, digital, and radio.

Eurovision News, the news-gathering and exchange service run by the EBU, will also support coverage of both events, ensuring diverse reporting for EBU Members throughout the competitions.

The agreement reflects the EBU’s long-standing relationship with FIFA, which most recently included rights deals for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™.

Stefan-Eric Wildemann, Head of Football, Basketball and Digital Acquisitions, EBU Sport said: “Our goal has always been to make the world’s biggest sporting moments available to everyone, free-to-air. By securing these rights for Azerbaijan, Iceland, and Malta — and building on our existing relationship with FIFA for the 2026 and 2030 FIFA World Cups — we are reinforcing the EBU’s role in delivering these major events as widely as possible. Together with FIFA and our Members, we will enable millions more fans to share in the excitement of the 2026 and 2030 tournaments.”

The FIFA World Cup™ will enter a new era in 2026, when FIFA introduces a game-changing new format featuring 48 teams and 104 matches. The tournament will take place from 11 June to 19 July in 16 cities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, uniting the world through football and creating the most compelling sporting event in history.

The FIFA World Cup 2030™ will mark the centenary of the tournament, with Morocco, Portugal, and Spain officially appointed as the hosts of the tournament.

Additionally, three centenary celebration matches will be held in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, recognising Uruguay’s status as host of the first-ever FIFA World Cup in 1930, and South America’s remarkable history with the competition since its inception.