TF1 said in a statement its deal with Germany's KirchMedia, which is marketing the viewing rights for the world's biggest sports event, would also allow it to show 24 top matches from the 2006 finals in Germany including the semifinals and final.
The overall contract is worth B168m ($147.6m), TF1 said.
The move follows a similar deal between Kirch and Britain's BBC and independent ITV networks allowing British television viewers to watch the World Cup on terrestrial television.
KirchMedia - the core division of privately owned Kirch Group - has agreed to pay FIFA, world football's governing body, about 3.4 billion Swiss francs ($2.05 billion) for the rights to the games in 2002 and 2006.
TF1 said it had an option expiring at the end of 2003 to buy the French rights to the whole of the 2006 finals from Kirch.
France's victory as hosts in the 1998 World Cup finals lifted national pride and sent the country soccer mad. Next year's finals are being co-hosted by South Korea and Japan between May 31 and June 30.
French fans will be able to watch the national team defend the World Cup on free-to-air television after commercial TV group TF1 said yesterday it had bought the rights to show the 2002 South Korea/Japan tournament in France.
