Fox Corp will broadcast the 2026 World Cup for U.S. audiences for $485 million, a figure analysts say is less than one‑third of the tournament’s true market value. Industry insiders estimate the rights could fetch between $1 billion and $1.5 billion if opened to competitive bidding. The bargain stems from a 2015 FIFA boardroom settlement that extended Fox’s contract ahead of the Qatar date shift.

FIFA chose Qatar in 2010 to host the 2022 tournament, later confronting scorching summer temperatures that forced a move to November‑December. The shift threatened Fox’s existing English‑language rights, won in a 2017 auction against ESPN. To avoid litigation, the global governing body’s secretary‑general Jerome Valcke reportedly promised an automatic extension to 2026 in exchange for Fox’s silence on the date change.

Analysts argue FIFA left hundreds of millions on the table, a loss amplified by soccer’s rapid growth in North America. ESPN veteran John Skipper warned the market could have been higher, given the expanded 48‑team format. Fox declined comment, but the deal underscores how a boardroom compromise can reshape broadcast economics for the sport’s biggest event in the lucrative U.S. market.