TVNZ Secures Rights to FIFA Youth World cups, Intensifies Challenge to Sky NZ
TVNZ has acquired the free-to-air (FTA) broadcasting rights for the 2025 FIFA Under-17 Men’s World Cup and the 2026 FIFA Under-20 Men’s and Women’s World Cups, marking a further expansion of its sports coverage and a direct challenge to Sky NZ’s dominance in the New Zealand sports broadcasting market.
The move comes as TVNZ prepares to launch a pay-TV product, a strategic initiative outlined in its five-year digital strategy. According to TVNZ chief executive Jodi O’Donnell, introducing a pay-TV offering will “competitively bid for and acquire more sports and serve it to audiences in the ways they want to watch it – whether it’s every moment live, or free-to-air on our channels.”
TVNZ has emphasized its commitment to maintaining its existing FTA, ad-funded model alongside the introduction of pay-TV options. The FIFA youth tournament rights represent the third major sports acquisition announced by TVNZ in the past month.
Recently, TVNZ was confirmed as the FTA partner for New Zealand Rugby, securing the rights to broadcast the annual National Provincial championship (men’s) and the Farah Palmer cup (women’s). Additionally, TVNZ has obtained the rights to the 2026 ANZ Premiership, New Zealand’s top-tier netball competition, from Sky NZ.
