DirecTV snaps up Fifa rights across the Caribbean

Pan-regional pay-television broadcaster DirecTV has acquired exclusive rights in the Caribbean for events operated by Fifa, football’s global governing body.

The deal, which covers all media platforms, will run for eight years, from 2015 to 2022.

The rights include the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar as well as the 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cup, with next year’s edition taking place in Canada. Other tournaments such as the Confederations Cup, U-20 World Cup and U-17 World Cup are included in the deal.

The agreement covers Antigua & Barbuda, Anguilla, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent, Surinam, Trinidad & Tobago and the Turks and Caicos.

Bernard Pantin, the general manager of DirecTV Caribbean, said: “We will work with all of our free-to-air partners throughout the Caribbean to expand viewership for the game at all levels.”