Press release from SBS
SBS has cemented itself as the home of football securing the exclusive Australian television broadcast rights to both the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups™. SBS is already the exclusive broadcast rights holder to the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ in Brazil.
“SBS has a long and proud association with football and with the FIFA World Cup™ having been the exclusive broadcaster since 1990,” SBS Managing Director Michael Ebeid said.
“It is our dedication to football and to giving the most comprehensive live and free-to-air television coverage in Australia that cemented our bid.
“SBS has been the spiritual home of football for the last 30 years and this new deal with FIFA ensures that the greatest of all sporting events – the FIFA World Cup™, will remain on SBS until at least 2022.
“A dedicated bid team at SBS has been working hard over many months to shore up this deal and I congratulate them for ensuring the long-standing partnership between SBS and FIFA continues for the next decade.”
“We are particularly pleased with the development of our media rights and the reach of our events,” said Niclas Ericson, Director of FIFA’s TV Division.
“For every cycle we are reaching more fans than ever, and with the channels and media platforms of SBS we remain in very good hands for the 2015-2022 period.”
“This is fantastic news for football fans and a great coup for SBS,” SBS Head of Sport, Ken Shipp, said.
“In 2010, SBS broadcast the FIFA World Cup™ live, free-to-air in SD, HD and 3D; in 11 languages on radio, streamed live online and in cinemas on 3D.
“We can only build on this in future years and expand into new areas including using our World Game app. SBS’s successful bid is also well-deserved acknowledgement of our passion, dedication and football expertise which is unrivalled in Australia.”