FIFA+ is the free football streaming platform we’ve been waiting for

Banking on its cache of fans spread across the globe, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has announced the launch of its streaming platform, FIFA+ (FIFA plus), which is set to deliver free streaming to sports fans around the world, broadcast classic matches and sports politics event.

This sports streaming platform is not the first of its kind. Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+ and Sling TV have created live football streaming pages. The European football governing body also launched its own streaming service, UEFA.tv in 2019.

However, FIFA+ has its unique features. In a bid to increase its market share to rival other existing platforms, it has planned to use the platform to promote its sponsors.

What to expect…

Launched on April 12 and currently available for use, the platform features original content, live matches and statistical analysis.

These live matches are going to be around 40,000 per year of both men’s and women’s matches, i.e. 1,500 matches per month. And, with the World cup final approaching, FIFA+ hopes to increase the monthly matches to 3,000.

It also features sport talk shows, and documentaries, including a 90- minute documentary of former Brazilian star, Ronaldinho, and other documentaries.

FIFA+ also has a ‘creator network’, to encourage football influencers to participate in creating content directly on the platform service. This platform is free with no subscription for now. Although, it will have pre-roll and banner advertisements to generate revenue.

Just like other streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+, FIFA + will also be available on web browsers, and mobile apps (IOS and Android devices etc.)

One of the many goals of this platform is to create a customised homepage for each country to meet their targeted audience. Their plan is to televise matches that are currently untelevised especially, leagues in Africa, Asian territories, etc.

The content on the FIFA+ platform will continue to grow and evolve in 2022, providing fresh, globally relevant as well as localised content across the year. 

FIFA

The streaming platform has adopted different languages (English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese) to satisfy their massive audience and is hoping to adopting other languages like Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Italian, Arabic and Hindu coming June 2022.

FIFA+ represents the next step in our vision to make football truly global and inclusive, and it underpins FIFA’s core mission of expanding and developing football globally. This project represents a cultural shift in the way different types of football fans want to connect with and explore the global game and has been a fundamental part of my Vision 2020-2023.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

What else?

We’re a bit more strategic about what goes where and when.

FIFA Chief Commerical Officer, Kay Madati

This launch could be FIFA’s content shift away from the YouTube world. It has always used YouTube to broadcast matches and events but FIFA+ will replace this.