(ECNS) - FIFA officials visited Beijing on Thursday for talks with Chinese football authorities and state broadcaster CCTV as negotiations continued over television rights for upcoming World Cups, according to Chinese media reports.
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström and Executive Office Director Daniel O'Toole toured Beijing's Workers' Stadium on Thursday alongside Chinese Football Association vice president Yang Xu.
The visit comes as FIFA and CCTV remain in negotiations over broadcasting rights for the 2026 World Cup. Chinese media reports said FIFA initially sought between $250 million and $300 million for the rights, while CCTV's budget was believed to be around $60 million to $80 million.
The reports said FIFA later lowered its asking price to roughly $120 million to $150 million, though no agreement has been announced.
The two sides are also discussing the possibility of bundling rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups, according to the reports.
During the trip, Grafström also met Chinese Football Association president Song Kai to discuss cooperation, youth tournaments and technical exchanges.
China's men's national team has not qualified for the World Cup since 2002, a factor some Chinese fans cited in criticizing the high cost of the broadcasting deal.
(By Zhang Jiahao)
京公网安备 11010202009201号