The Football Association has agreed a new six-season overseas broadcast rights deal for the FA Cup - reportedly worth £1bn - from the 2018-19 season. Marketing agency Pitch International will cover rights for western Europe, Middle East and North Africa, with IMG covering the rest of the world. Both will then subcontract deals to broadcasters, while domestic rights will remain with the BBC and BT Sport. FA chief executive Martin Glenn said the deal was "hugely significant".
The value of the overseas deal was undisclosed but Glenn said it would allow more investment in pitches, facilities and participation programmes. "It is not overstating it to say that it could have a transformational impact on what we are able to achieve across the country," Glenn added. "It also underlines the global popularity of The Emirates FA Cup. With its history and tradition, it has the remarkable ability to create fantastic stories and inspire fans, players and clubs to believe anything is possible." The deal also includes rights for the FA Community Shield and the FA Youth Cup.
It comes after the FA agreed to allow agencies, such as Pitch International and IMG, as well as broadcasters, to bid for single territories, regional groupings or a global package of rights.