IMG has secured the rights to broadcast the FIFA World Cup 26 to the inflight and cruise ship markets on Sport 24 channels globally. The new agreement grants IMG exclusive live rights to broadcast all 104 matches.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the United States. It will be the fourth consecutive edition of the men’s competition to be broadcast on IMG-owned and operated channels and the first to include 48 teams. Argentina go into the tournament seeking to defend their title.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 saw 172 live hours broadcast on Sport 24 and Sport 24 Extra. Over 1.4 million passengers tuned in to watch inflight. The tournament was a similar success for cruise lines, with games being broadcast live from the pool decks and lounges.
The 2026 tournament is the latest addition to Sport 24’s live football coverage, which includes the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and the AFC Asian Cup.
Sport 24 is the first and only live sports channel available on airlines and cruise ships around the world. It can be viewed on 610 aircraft – including Etihad Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines – and 119 cruise ships – including Carnival Group, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.
Jean-Christophe Petit, Director of Media Partnerships at FIFA, said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with IMG which will ensure millions of fans, whether they are in the air or out at sea, will have access to the FIFA World Cup. IMG will broadcast all 104 matches live on their inflight and inship channels, ensuring exceptional coverage of sport’s most iconic tournament through IMG’s footprint.”
Richard Wise, Senior Vice President – Content and Channels at IMG, said: “Sport 24 is all about bringing passengers live coverage of the world’s greatest sporting competitions, wherever they are in the world. Over past tournaments, we’ve seen the FIFA World Cup’s unique ability to spark viral moments as passengers celebrate historic victories together. We are delighted to once again broadcast extensive coverage of the FIFA World Cup live across our channels, so that fans never miss a minute of the action.”
