BBC and ITV’s reported payment for the men’s World Cup rights has varied by tournament, but a commonly cited figure is about £159.1 million for the 2022 World Cup, with a reported $200 million combined fee for the 2022 event.

What that means

  • For the 2022 World Cup , reports put BBC and ITV’s combined cost at about £159.1m to £160m.
  • For earlier cycles, the combined UK rights cost was reported at £140m for the 2002 and 2006 tournaments.
  • For the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, BBC and ITV were reported to have paid £220m combined.

Why the number shifts

Rights fees change by tournament cycle, and newer deals usually cost more because the tournament grows in value and scale. One report on the 2026 and 2030 cycle said the fee had seen “a reasonable increase” because the 2026 World Cup will have nearly twice as many matches.

Quick answer

If you mean the most recent widely reported men’s World Cup deal, the BBC’s share was part of a combined BBC/ITV payment of roughly £160m for the 2022 World Cup rights.