With the Women's World Cup fast approaching (kick-off on 21 July), five European ministers continue to put pressure on football authorities and broadcasters to "quickly find an arrangement" on the broadcasting of the competition, which will be held in New Zealand and Australia.

"Due to the strong potential of this competition and the sporting and societal challenges associated with it, we consider it our duty to fully mobilize all stakeholders so that they can quickly find an agreement," plead the French, German, Italian, Spanish and British sports ministers in this text published in Paris.

These ministers say they are "aware of the legitimate interests and budgetary constraints that weigh on both rights holders and independent broadcasters, both of whom need viable business models" and say they "also recognise the specific organisational constraints that are likely to affect the market value of rights for European broadcasters (broadcasting period and hours)".

Oudéa-Castéra calls on FIFA to be less greedy

Asked Wednesday on this subject on France 2, the French Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, said that "FIFA will probably have to be less greedy and remember that there are obstacles related to temporality". The Women's World Cup takes place this summer in Australia and New Zealand, which have a very significant time difference with Europe.

"Media exposure of women's sport has a very significant impact on the development of sport participation among women and girls," write Nancy Faeser (Germany), Miquel Iceta I Llorens (Spain), Andrea Abodi (Italy), Lucie Frazer (United Kingdom) and Amélie Oudéa-Castéra.

Promoting the World Cup at its fair price

In a recent interview with AFP, Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura had asked television channels, some of which are reluctant in Europe to broadcast the Women's World Cup, to "value" this competition "at its fair price".

"If the offers continue to be unfair (to women and women's football), we will be forced not to broadcast the FIFA Women's World Cup in the + big five + European countries," threatened the president of the body, Gianni Infantino, in early May on Instagram.

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  • Women's World Cup
  • FIFA