Sports ministers press Fifa and broadcasters to avert threat of TV blackout

Sports ministers from five nations have pressed broadcasters and footballing body Fifa to reach an agreement on TV rights for the tournament, which is due to kick off in just 50 days.

UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer joined ministers from France, Spain, Germany and Italy urging a resolution to the dispute that has seen Fifa president Gianni Infantino threaten to keep the contest off TV screens in Europe entirely if rights offers are not improved.

Mr Infantino has accused broadcasters of trying to pay only a fraction of what rights for the men’s game are worth, which he says is a “slap in the face” amid efforts to increase prize money for the women’s game.

The letter calling for a deal to be reached comes as England manager Sarina Wiegman unveiled the Lionesses’ line-up for the contest, due to kick off across Australia and New Zealand on 20 July.

It says: “We have acknowledged with concern that until now, no television rights have been attributed for the matches broadcasting in our countries.

“Media exposure to women’s sports has indeed a highly significant impact on the development of women’s and young girls’ sports practices.

“Because of the high potential of the Fifa Women’s World Cup and the sport and social issues at stake, we consider it our responsibility to fully mobilise all stakeholders, for them to quickly reach an agreement.

“These are decisions for Fifa and broadcasters to take independently, but we know that discussions are in progress and we are confident in Fifa and independent broadcasters’ capability to find a common path toward fair development of the Fifa Women’s World Cup.”

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In the UK, it has been reported that a deal is “very close” that will see the BBC and ITV share broadcasting rights for the tournament, though there has been no announcement amid the wider stand-off with Fifa.

But The Telegraph reports that broadcasters in Germany are offering only three per cent of what was paid for the men’s tournament, while Italy’s broadcasters are offering just one per cent of what they paid for the men’s game.

Asked about the row during a press conference, Sarina Wiegman said: “I’m not worried about that situation. I think Fifa and the broadcasters will come to a decision.

“I’ve heard England is in a pretty good place. I have seen how it (women’s football) has been covered here in England since I came in, which is really good, so I expect that to be that way again. I’m focusing on the football part and I expect it to be sorted before it starts.”

Rights to air the women’s tournament were previously sold as part of a package alongside the men’s game.

Mr Infantino’s hardline stance has raised eyebrows from some, with former Fifa Council member Moya Dodd suggesting it is a “bit rich” for him to scold broadcasters for underpaying when historically “Fifa itself never put any value” in the women’s game.

She said earlier this month: “[Fifa] sold them as part of a bundle and then attributed all of that value to the men’s World Cup, so it has for decades trained those commercial partners and broadcast rights buyers to overvalue men’s football and undervalue women’s football.”