FIFA outlines future plans with media rights sales in Asia

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Image credit: Fabideciria / Shutterstock.com

FIFA has unveiled its new strategy with Infront Sports & Media to directly sell tournament media rights in the South and Southeast Asian markets following the conclusion of the latest FIFA World Cup sales cycle in Asia.

This approach allows FIFA to take full control over its media rights sales while building innovative and sustainable media partnerships for its rights across the region.

Currently, FIFA has only sold rights in Asia directly with Korea, Japan and Malaysia and they have recently appointed Infront to provide advisory support during the transition period of the new sales structure in South and Southeast Asia specifically.

Infront is a sports marketing company based in Zug, Switzerland – handling media and marketing rights for international sports events and federations while also providing sports services such as advertising and sponsorships.

The new advisory role will see Infront provide extensive market knowledge, established relationships and experience in selling FIFA and other premium rights throughout Asia. They will also show support throughout the 2024-2027 media rights sales cycle which will include the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai spoke about new strategy with the Asian markets:

“The Asian market is a highly specific and strategically important region for FIFA and the new approach demonstrates our commitment to fully controlling our media right sales processes,” he said via media release.

“Our efforts will be complemented by our long-term partner Infront who will draw on its experience and track record in the region to support our go-to-market approach in selected key markets.”

Head of Football at Infront, Andreas Kaeshammer, discussed their collaboration with FIFA:

“Supporting the commercialisation of the most prestigious association football tournaments in the worlds is recognition of the quality of services we provide to top tier partners,” he added via media release.

“After being involved in the distribution of FIFA’s media rights for more than two decades in the new media advisory service role combines our global football rightsholder capabilities with our outstanding media sales experience in Asia.”

“We’re excited to help deliver FIFA’s events to an audience of over 2.5 billion people, underscoring the immense reach and impact of these tournaments in the Asian market.”

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Is the FW Regional Girls Training Camp bridging the access gap for talent?

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Image Credit: Football West

In Western Australia, the tyranny of distance has historically functioned as the primary barrier to talent identification.

For regional footballers, the logistical and financial burden of accessing elite pathways often renders the concept of “equal opportunity” a theoretical ideal rather than an operational reality. However, the recent Regional Girls Training Camp, hosted at the Sam Kerr Football Centre, suggests that Football West is moving to operationalise the structural changes announced in its 2026 academy overhaul.

Earlier this week, nearly 100 players aged 10 to 17 converged on the State Centre for Football in Cannington. The three-day camp invited participants from the previous year’s Country Week carnival, represents the first tangible application of the “real-match” and high-performance philosophy outlined by Football West Development Manager Gareth Naven late last year.

While the previous announcement of the Regional Academy model focused on the structural shift from training camps to competitive “State Carnivals,” this current initiative addresses the resource gap. For stakeholders and policymakers, the camp serves as a case study in how centralised infrastructure assets can be leveraged to service a decentralised demographic.

Infrastructure as an equity lever

A lack of high-performance environments defines the economic reality of regional football. The facility gap between metro NPL setups and regional clubs is often vast. Football West uses the Sam Kerr Football Centre to subsidise the “professional experience” for regional talent.

Sarah Carroll, Female Football & Advocacy Manager, notes the purpose extends beyond simple engagement. The curriculum fused on-pitch technical training with athlete development workshops.

Geography usually blocks access to this sport science for a 14-year-old Pilbara or Goldfields player. By centralising this education, the governing body helps standardise the player pool’s knowledge base. Naven’s alignment strategy demands closing the “knowledge gap” alongside the technical one.

The economics of the “Legacy”

Critically, the WA Government funds the camp through the Female Community Legacy Program. This highlights the Legacy Program’s ROI for the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.

A stated aim to “enhance club capability” acknowledges that player development requires an ecosystem. The funding mechanism here is significant. Without state intervention, the cost per head would prohibit many families from attending.

Targeted funding bridges the gap between community participation and elite commercial viability. Regional Lead Tanya Amazzini calls these opportunities “essential” for player growth and confidence.

Strategic alignment with the 2026 pathway

Observers must view this camp alongside the Regional Academy system overhaul. The new “State Carnival” model demands players physically prepared for elite competition. This camp functions as the preparatory phase for that new competitive reality.

Football West uses elite exposure to mitigate the shock of transitioning to state programs. Furthermore, involving players from the Pilbara to the South West keeps the talent net wide. Maintaining sight on remote talent requires constant investment.

The residual challenge

However, the long-term impact warrants caution. The “re-entry” phase remains the primary challenge. Players return to clubs with significantly fewer resources than the Sam Kerr Football Centre.

Success depends on the “trickle-down” effect of the education provided. If players transfer this knowledge locally, the aggregate standard of regional football rises. If isolated, the experience may simply make the regional gap feel more pronounced.

Integrating 100 regional girls into the state’s premier facility executes the strategic plan. It signals that the Centre delivers dividends to the broader ecosystem, not just the elite.

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