• by Colin Kirkland , 5 hours ago

In line with its recent deal with TikTok, FIFA has added YouTube as a second “Preferred Platform” partner to spotlight premium content across social media and streaming during the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

As a Preferred Platform, YouTube media partners will have the option to stream “a select number of matches in full” as well as the first 10 minutes of every match across their respective YouTube channels.

In addition, YouTube media partners will gain access to “every angle” of match footage from the tournament, including extended highlights, behind-the-scenes footage, Shorts and video-on-demand content.

For creators interested in covering the tournament, FIFA has selected a “global cohort” of YouTube creators for heightened access to matches and more, with the hopes that they will post videos made up of “human stories, tactical breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes action.”

Creators are being invited to pull from FIFA’s digital archive, in order to bring historical context to this year's matches, fandom and results.

Content from the digital archive will be visible to fans on FIFA's official YouTube channel, including full-length matches and iconic moments from past tournaments.

While TikTok -- another FIFA Preferred Partner -- will likely focus its resources on influencer-style coverage within its immersive sports media hub, YouTube is expected to use its position as a dominant force in more traditional sports broadcasting.

As the dominant TV distributor in the U.S. with a 12.4% share and estimated 24% of U.S. connected TV (CTV) streaming minutes as of April 2025, YouTube recently introduced a new way for sports fans to pay for unlimited access to sports-only television content from major broadcasters via a TV sports package.

Compared to YouTube’s lower-tier sponsorship position at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, this deal with FIFA will give the media company a bigger role to play in tournament coverage.