Newsrooms asked to pay to report on newsworthy FIFA-controlled press events
News organisations including sports journalists have yet to receive full details from FIFA about arrangements for newsgathering at FWC 2026. In addition there is wide unease that independent news operations are being asked to pay tournament organisers for the ability to create non-match video news coverage.
‘For major events, such as Olympics, rugby and football world cups, as well as for large-scale civic events such as national commemorations, news organisations need to be able to plan well in advance, in some cases often years before photographers, reporters and video journalists, and their back-office teams, hit the ground,’ said Andrew Moger, CEO of the News Media Coalition. ‘News organisations make considerable investment in talent, logistics and newsroom operations to arrange the best of coverage of major events, but they need the earliest possible certainty about how newsgathering opportunities are being put in place and adapted event to event.’ Newsroom also spend years and considerable sums providing news coverage ahead of major tournaments, therefore adding to visibility and amplifying interest only to be knocked back at the last minute by unfair charges and restrictions in relation to coverage of the actual event.’
Early planning is all the more vital for news coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the largest ever and taking place across three countries, in 16 cities hosting 104 games involving 48 teams.
The NMC has maintained dialogue with FIFA over many months – stepping this up after last year’s FIFA Club World Cup which presented significant reporting challenges to journalists. FIFA has made efforts to improve certain press arrangements such as maintaining the numbers of news photographers at pitch-side, extending the press accreditation window and upgrading the FIFA Media Hub via which news organisations will be able to access FIFA’s official content to supplement news material created by their own journalists in stadia (press conferences, player interview opportunities and at training immediately prior to matches). However, some news organisations are still waiting for important information which will affect their decisions on whether or not considerable outlays to arrange coverage of the tournament will be viable.
Many news publishers feel their coverage will benefit from additional number of passes, given that the tournament will necessarily require journalists to travel further and more often to cover pre- and in-match events than would ordinarily be the case.
Whilst new initiatives such as FIFA’s newly-conceived zones.’stations’’ which will allow news reporters to film some content in-stadium on mobile phones after the final whistle, are welcomed by the news media, practical considerations such as what restrictions or embargoes will be placed on content created in the ’stations’ have yet to be addressed.
Moger said: ‘In addition, FIFA appears to have cut back certain newsgathering opportunities, traditionally open to video newsgatherers who have not bought commercial media rights to in-match video content. The ability for video journalists to cover and distribute reports from pre-match training sessions, mixed zones and post-match news conferences appears to be tied in to a licence fee which includes FIFA’s own content thus putting these opportunities out of reach for smaller news organisations which have a narrower focus than larger organisations.’
He concluded: ‘We call upon FIFA, whether at the levels of media operations, commercial media rights, or leadership to the outstanding information, clarity and positive outcomes in terms of press freedom as soon as possible.’
