ARD/ZDF secure Football World Cup 2018

German public broadcasters ARD/Deutsche Welle and ZDF have acquired the TV rights for the Football World Championship 2018 in Russia. All key games will be shown on free-to-air television, the broadcasters announced today.

The contract was arranged by ARD/ZDF sports rights agency SportA with FIFA and financial details have not been disclosed.

The agreement grants ARD and ZDF the exclusive right to transmit all 64 matches via TV, radio and internet live or time-delayed. The broadcasters have the option to sublicense selected games to commercial free-to-air or pay-TV channels.

ARD and ZDF also hold the rights to the next Football World Cup in Brazil in 2014.