She catches the first 10 minutes of Nigeria vs. whoever – live, free, crystal-clear (oh Nigeria is not playing at the World Cup this year. Ok, let’s say Ghana). The drama hooks her instantly.

By halftime she’s convinced her mates to stream the rest on their local broadcaster. Meanwhile, a creator she follows drops a tactical breakdown with sponsor shoutouts woven in naturally.

Everyone wins: the fan gets the game her way, FIFA reaches a new generation, broadcasters sell more ads, and brands get their message in front of millions who were never glued to traditional TV.That scenario isn’t fan fiction.

It’s the exact playbook behind the Preferred Platform deal FIFA and YouTube announced on March 17, 2026.

This isn’t a full handover of live rights (traditional broadcasters still own the main feast). It’s something smarter: a digital appetizer that supercharges reach, unlocks fresh ad revenue, and future-proofs the world’s biggest sporting event.

The Deal:

Official media partners – think FOX, Telemundo, SuperSport, beIN, and others, can stream the first 10 minutes of every single one of the 104 matches live on their YouTube channels.

It’s the ultimate hook, enough action to get hearts racing, then a gentle nudge: “Full match on our main channel.” Select full matches will also stream on those same YouTube channels, market-by-market.

FIFA is flooding YouTube with premium archive, full classic games, iconic moments, behind-the-scenes footage. A global creator program gives independent YouTubers official access to produce highlights, analysis, Shorts, and player profiles.

Crucially, media partners now monetize this content directly on YouTube through pre-roll, mid-roll, and other ad formats, extra revenue on top of their traditional broadcast deals. No cannibalization, just multiplication.

Mattias Grafström FIFA secretary general, called it “game-changing.”

He’s right. After TikTok got a similar deal earlier in 2026, YouTube, already the second-biggest Preferred Platform, brings the scale: 2 billion logged-in users monthly and a sports audience that watched 35 billion hours of content last year alone (up 45% year-over-year).

The Numbers That Make Marketers’ Hearts Race

Let’s talk money, because this partnership isn’t charity. FIFA’s overall haul is record-breaking. The 2023–2026 cycle is projected to generate around $13 billion total, with roughly $8.9 billion landing in 2026 alone.

Broadcasting rights are expected to hit $3.9–4.3 billion (up from $3.4 billion in Qatar). Sponsorships are sold out at over $2.8 billion.

Tickets and hospitality add another $3 billion. This 48-team tournament in North America is simply printing money.

U.S. broadcasters are set for a Super Bowl-sized payday. FOX and Telemundo are projected to pull in $850 million in advertising revenue, just from the World Cup.

That’s more than double the $384 million they made in 2018. The combination of home-soil hosting, expanded format, and U.S. participation is the rocket fuel.

YouTube’s slice is the growth story. In 2022, even with more limited rights, fans watched over 600 million hours of World Cup content on the platform.

One Brazilian creator (CazéTV) gained 5.5 million subscribers and racked up 500 million views. Live streams hit peaks of 6 million concurrent viewers. Now imagine that multiplied by official 10-minute live kickoffs, full select matches, creator content, and Shorts that live forever in the algorithm.

Global ad spend tied to the tournament is forecast to surge by $10.5 billion in the quarter it runs – 1.1% incremental lift to the entire ad market.

A big chunk of that incremental money is shifting to digital platforms like YouTube, where brands can target precisely rather than buy 30-second TV spots.

Advertisers and Sponsors

The Real Winners: Traditional World Cup sponsors (Adidas, Coca-Cola, Visa, etc.) already have global deals locked in. But the YouTube layer opens the floodgates for everyone else:Precision targeting on steroids.

A brand selling energy drinks can hit 18–34-year-olds in emerging markets who discover the tournament via YouTube teasers. Cost-per-view is dramatically lower than TV, and engagement is higher because people choose to watch.

Creator economy gold –  

Official creator content means authentic integrations, think a popular analyst breaking down Messi’s movement while a watch brand flashes on screen. Trust transfers directly. Highlights, Shorts, and archive footage keep generating ad impressions for months after the final whistle. It’s not one-and-done like a live match.

Gen Z and Millennials in Africa, Asia, and Latin America aren’t always parking themselves in front of a TV for 90+ minutes. YouTube meets them where they are, phones, laptops, living rooms.

For broadcasters, the YouTube money is pure upside. They keep their primary TV/streaming revenue and earn from digital ads. FIFA gets broader reach without eroding the value of its billion-dollar broadcast contracts. YouTube cements its position as the go-to sports destination.

The Human Side:

Fans First, Business Second – The genius here is that it feels generous to fans while being ruthlessly smart for business.

In markets where paywalls (like DSTV in parts of Africa) frustrate younger viewers, those 10-minute live windows become the entry point. A casual scroll turns into lifelong fandom.

And every time someone watches a highlight or creator reaction, another ad plays.As the tournament kicks off in June, expect to see brands everywhere, not just during water breaks on TV, but in the Shorts that get millions of views overnight, in creator videos that feel like chatting with mates, and in the algorithm that keeps serving up World Cup magic long after the final.

FIFA and YouTube didn’t just sign a partnership. They rewrote the sports media playbook: give fans more ways in, let creators amplify the magic, and let advertisers ride the wave across every screen.

The pitch is bigger than ever, and the business side is scoring goals before the first whistle even blows.

The game, which will be exclusive to Netflix Games, is being developed and published by Delphi Interactive in partnership with FIFA. It is scheduled to arrive before the tournament kicks off in June next year, targeting fans who want a quick, social way to play rather than a complex console experience. 

The title will run on televisions, with players using their phones as controllers, keeping it within Netflix’s growing casual gaming ecosystem.

This looks like a calculated attempt to anchor Netflix’s gaming vision to an event that already commands global attention. Football is the most-watched sport in the world, and the World Cup offers built-in reach that few entertainment launches can match. 

FIFA itself said the partnership is meant to bring the “emotion and drama of the tournament” into a new interactive format.

This release sits within a gaming framework Netflix outlined earlier this year. In March 2025, the company said it would focus on four areas: story-led narrative games, multiplayer party titles, children’s games, and licensed mainstream properties. 

FIFA, alongside the upcoming James Bond game “007 First Light”, falls squarely into the licensed category, designed to attract audiences who already know the brand.

Despite years of spending and experimentation, Netflix’s games have largely failed to break through in the way its films and series have. Engagement has been low, prompting changes in leadership and a sharper focus on familiar names such as “GTA: San Andreas” and “Red Dead Redemption”.

The company’s vision may soon extend far beyond casual titles. Netflix is currently leading talks to acquire major assets from Warner Bros Discovery in a deal valued at $72 billion, or $82.7 billion including debt. The package includes some of the industry’s most respected studios, behind franchises such as “Mortal Kombat”, “Batman Arkham”, “Hogwarts Legacy” and LEGO games.

While Netflix co-CEO Gregory Peters has said the gaming studios are a “minor component” of the entire transaction, analysts argue their value could be strategic. Ownership of these teams would give Netflix a direct path into big-budget, premium game development, a space it has not yet fully entered.

Alongside this, Netflix has been building out cloud gaming technology and adding controller support, putting it closer to services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and PlayStation Plus. What began as a mobile add-on is gradually evolving into something more ambitious.

The FIFA game and the Warner Bros talks point to the same goal, which is keeping subscribers inside the Netflix ecosystem for longer. Games, unlike films, do not end after two hours.

While the focus tends to be on the nominees and the eventual winners, less is often said about the technology behind the voting system that determines these champions. Here’s a closer look at how technology shapes this celebrated voting process.

1. Digital Voting and Data Collection

The Ballon d’Or voting relies heavily on a streamlined, secure digital voting process. Journalists from around the world receive access to a digital voting portal, allowing them to rank players based on performances, skill, fair play, and overall impact.

Each journalist’s votes are securely submitted and processed via a centralized digital system managed by France Football. This online platform ensures ease of access, enabling jurors to cast their votes securely from anywhere in the world, reducing the complexities of traditional paper ballots.

2. Data Encryption for Secure Voting

Given the high stakes and media attention, the voting system is designed to be both transparent and secure. Data encryption plays a pivotal role in protecting voter information and choices.

By encrypting the submitted votes, only authorized personnel can access and tally the results.

This prevents any tampering or unauthorized access that could compromise the integrity of the awards.

End-to-end encryption not only secures the voting data but also ensures anonymity. This approach preserves the privacy of journalists’ selections, preventing undue influence or bias based on revealed voting patterns.

3. Blockchain for Transparency and Verification

To further enhance trust, the Ballon d’Or organizers have begun exploring blockchain technology for future editions.

Blockchain, known for its immutability and transparency, provides a tamper-proof way to store voting records. Each vote could be recorded as a block in a decentralized ledger, making it nearly impossible to alter or delete.

While not yet fully implemented, blockchain offers the potential to allow public verification without exposing individual votes. This would add an extra layer of credibility, reassuring fans, players, and the public that every vote is counted accurately.

4. AI-Driven Analytics for Player Selection

Although the voting process is human-led, artificial intelligence (AI) tools assist France Football in creating the initial list of nominees. AI analytics allow organizers to analyze a vast range of player data—including goals, assists, defensive actions, and other key metrics—across leagues, teams, and tournaments.

These analytics help ensure that the shortlist of nominees is as objective as possible, with data-driven insights highlighting players who have had exceptional seasons. AI, however, does not decide the final nominee list; it merely aids human experts by providing comprehensive performance data.

5. Real-Time Results Display

Once votes are tallied and verified, the results are displayed in real-time during the award ceremony. The voting platform integrates with broadcast systems, enabling live updates of the results. Visual technology enhances the viewing experience, with detailed statistics and rankings displayed as the anticipation builds.

This synchronization between the voting system and broadcast technology offers fans around the world an immersive experience, blending digital voting results with live presentations for an engaging ceremony.

The Future of Ballon d’Or Voting Technology

The Ballon d’Or voting system continues to evolve with advancements in technology. As more innovations in blockchain, AI, and data security emerge, the process will likely become even more transparent, efficient, and fair.

The integration of these technologies marks a step forward, ensuring that football’s most prestigious individual award is backed by systems as dynamic as the players it celebrates.

VAR Technology

Gianni Infantino FIFA President signed a MoU with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General, recently.

The signature ceremony took place on the opening day of the annual WTO Public Forum. And both organisations have committed to ways for football to promote more economic inclusion.

The partnership is spelled out in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by FIFA President Infantino and WTO Director-General Okonjo-Iweala where the two sides agreed to collaborate by exchanging views on their respective activities and by preparing and implementing common strategies and projects.

“I’m really excited at the prospect of collaborating with FIFA to try to leverage the cotton sector in a positive way for poor developing countries such as the Cotton 4,” said WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in reference to the WTO’s cotton programme in Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali which will is included in the partnership.

“I’m really excited that collaboration with FIFA could help us pull these countries more into the global cotton value chain.” Furthermore, the WHO Director-General added.  “I’m also thrilled at the prospect of working on gender empowerment. We have a big sports economy, and to the extent that we can pull this through trade to support women, this is a positive signal,”

“FIFA redistributes its revenue among our 211 member associations to help them develop football in their countries by notably investing in infrastructure, facilities, competitions, refereeing and coaching,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Yet, we believe that there is still more than football can do, especially for the youth in the developing world. This important partnership can help us find ways of ensuring that football can further promote sustainable development for everyone to benefit from the global football economy.”

FIFA & WTO added that under the terms of the MoU, the two organisations will also work together to analyse the economic impact of football and its role in unlocking global economic growth potential and will explore options for the development of capacity-building activities that support the use of football as a tool for women economic empowerment.