ARD and ZDF to broadcast 60 matches of the 2026 World Cup
All Germany matches at the 2026 World Cup will be shown on public broadcasters – as long as the national team qualifies.
(Image: Motortion Films/Shutterstock.com)
Deutsche Telekom has reached an agreement with ARD and ZDF on a sub-licence contract for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This was reported by dpa. According to the agreement, a total of 60 matches will be shown on ARD and ZDF. This also includes the matches of the German national team, should they qualify.
Deutsche Telekom secured the broadcasting rights for the 2026 World Cup in the spring. All 104 matches of the World Cup will be shown live on the MagentaTV streaming service. However, because the Interstate Broadcasting Treaty stipulates that World Cup matches involving the German national team must be shown on free TV, Deutsche Telekom was under pressure to find a partner for sub-licensing, as it has been in previous tournaments. The opening match and the final must also be available on free-to-air television.
According to dpa, the result is similar to previous football tournaments, the rights to which Telekom has bought: A good half of all World Cup matches will be shown on public television in addition to the MagentaTV broadcast. There will be parity between the public broadcasters: 30 matches will be shown on ARD and 30 on ZDF.
Videos by heise
Football tournaments as permanent guests on MagentaTV
Deutsche Telekom had already secured the rights to several past tournaments for MagentaTV, including the 2022 Men's World Cup and the 2024 European Championship, but not everything always went smoothly: demand for the round of 16 match between Turkey and Austria, which was shown exclusively on MagentaTV, caused technical problems during registration. Deutsche Telekom then decided to also broadcast the stream on YouTube.
The exact structure of the World Cup streams, which will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the USA from 11 June to 19 July 2026, is still open. It is already known that Johannes B. Kerner will once again be the presenter. In the past, MagentaTV not only had more matches but also a quality advantage: unlike the public broadcasters, the Telekom streaming service only showed football matches in upscaled 4K—on selected end devices such as Telekom's streaming sticks.
(dahe)
