Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

MagentaTV Secures All 104 World Cup Matches While ARD and ZDF Take 60, Leaving 44 Games Paywalled

The split gives public broadcasters Germany’s matches plus the semis and final and forces viewers who want every game to pay for MagentaTV or a temporary subscription.

Image
Wer Patrik Schick (l.) und seine Tschechen in deren erstem WM-Spiel sehen will, wird bei ARD und ZDF nicht fündig
Image

Overview

  • Deutsche Telekom’s MagentaTV holds the exclusive rights to stream all 104 matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and will keep 44 games available only on its platform.
  • Public broadcasters ARD and ZDF bought a combined 60 matches, each taking 30 games that include every Germany fixture and both semifinals plus the final.
  • MagentaTV has published consumer terms that let non-Telekom customers subscribe for a temporary two-month pass priced at €22 and the service is available via other internet providers.
  • Broadcasters without full live rights are preparing workarounds: Sky secured sublicenses to show short post-match clips and is expanding daily World Cup studio shows and vodcasts ahead of the tournament.
  • Telekom says it spent a three-digit million euro sum and is using the World Cup as a customer-acquisition push by investing in high-profile pundits and sublicensing revenue to help cover costs.