The company said on Wednesday that the app is designed to bring fans into a single space where they can follow live conversations, watch trending clips and access curated creator content tied to major events. It is available to users aged 18 and above.

Inside the app, users can take part in simple fan activities like searching event hashtags, visiting the World Cup hub and sharing related posts. TikTok said users will earn “Stars” for these actions.

The Stars can be exchanged for rewards such as official FIFA World Cup merchandise through an in-app store, TikTok Shop vouchers, or donations made through TikTok-funded charity programmes.

TikTok has partnered with Feeding America for the donation feature. Monica Lopez Gonzalez, chief marketing and communications officer at Feeding America, said: “We can end hunger when we come together, and our partnership with TikTok gives sports fans a simple and meaningful way to be part of that effort.”

She added: “By engaging with tournament content on TikTok Pro Events, the fan community can help direct earned Stars toward donations that support neighbours facing hunger.”

The company further noted that the World Cup experience will also connect to content inside its main app. Users can search “FIFA World Cup” to access dedicated hubs, which bring together clips, creators and broadcaster highlights from the tournament.

TikTok said these hubs are powered by a toolset it calls GamePlan, which supports discovery and audience engagement for sports organisations and media partners.

The TikTok Pro Events app is currently being rolled out in the US as a pilot project and will serve as a testing ground for future cultural and sporting events. Users can download it from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

This funding will go directly into film and television content creation over the next four years.

At the company’s Madrid production hub when Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos made the announcement. 

Speaking in front of Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, Sarandos said: “Over the next four years we plan to invest over one billion euros in Spain. With this investment, we will be able to contribute even more to the Spanish economy, create more Spanish jobs, tell more great stories made in Spain.”

Sarandos had made a similar declaration earlier this year regarding content production in Mexico. With this Spanish announcement, Netflix wants to strengthen its influence across global entertainment markets through local storytelling.

The location wasn’t a coincidence either as Netflix’s Tres Cantos studio outside Madrid, now a major pillar in its European operations, tells us something. When it opened in 2019, it was Netflix’s first production facility outside the United States. 

Since then, it has grown commendably, with 10 sound stages as of 2022 and has become one of the continent’s busiest content hubs.

Spain has earned its place in Netflix’s global content portfolio. Iconic shows like Money Heist, Elite, and Society of the Snow have made waves and become cultural landmarks. 

Sarandos further stated, “Dali masks, red jumpsuits, Bella Ciao – all of them have become instantly recognisable parts of the global culture.”

He also pointed out the tangible impact: more than 5 billion hours of Spanish content have been streamed on Netflix globally. The numbers speak to how effective the platform’s partnerships with Spanish creators have been.

Netflix claims its operations in Spain already support over 20,000 jobs. With the planned investment, that figure is expected to grow, strengthening Spain’s audiovisual sector while giving global reach to local talent.

Sarandos closed his speech with a nod to Spain’s value in the global media space: “We commend Spain for its efforts and commitment to the audiovisual sector. We look forward to working with you and your teams to grow the economy, create opportunity and bring more of this beautiful, rich Spanish heritage to the world.”

The timing of this pledge coincides with Netflix’s tenth year in the country.

With a goal to separate the high-growth digital business from the weight of traditional TV, one company will handle streaming and studios; the other, legacy television. 

The restructuring will see Warner Bros. Television, DC Studios, HBO, HBO Max, and the company’s extensive film and TV archives form a new entity focused on streaming and content production. 

Meanwhile, CNN, TNT Sports, Discovery Channel, and the rest of the company’s linear television brands, across the U.S. and Europe, will sit under a second company called Global Networks.

The announcement comes as WBD tries to turn around years of financial stress. Since its 2022 merger with WarnerMedia, the company has faced the dual challenge of high costs of streaming and falling cable revenues. 

CEO David Zaslav, who will lead the new Streaming and Studios company, stated in an internal memo: “While the work has been challenging at times, we’ve made strong progress in returning our film and television studios to industry leadership.”

WBD is borrowing $17.5 billion through a short-term loan, aiming to buy back a portion of its $37 billion debt before the breakup. The precise allocation of debt between the two new companies remains unclear, but WBD has indicated the majority will be assigned to Global Networks.

This financial reshuffle has implications well beyond Warner Bros. Analysts are already speculating about possible mergers or partnerships. 

With Global Networks keeping a 20% stake in the Streaming and Studios business, and no final names announced for the spin-offs, it’s not out of the question that WBD could become a player in the next big media consolidation wave.

If Zaslav’s strategy succeeds, the split could shield the fast-growing streaming business from the financial drag of traditional cable TV. But if it doesn’t, WBD could find itself with one company weighed down by debt and another struggling to find direction in the competitive streaming market.

Zaslav said, “By operating as two distinct and optimised companies in the future, we are empowering these iconic brands with the sharper focus and strategic flexibility they need to compete most effectively in today’s evolving media landscape.”

There’s still no word on whether either of the new companies will keep the “Warner Bros.” name. CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels is set to lead Global Networks after the split, while both Zaslav and Wiedenfels will remain in their current roles until the separation is finalised.