World soccer's governing body FIFA announced on Thursday that clips from this summer's World Cup matches will be available via short video social platforms.TikTokGo live. This cooperation will last until the end of 2026 and aims to bring global fans "closer to the game" through a more intimate and interactive content perspective.
According to the agreement, in addition to some game footage being broadcast live on TikTok, FIFA will also open up on-site access to press conferences and team training sessions to a select group of content creators so that they can produce relevant content for fans. The head of TikTok’s global content said that after watching sports content on the platform, users are 42% more likely to watch live broadcasts of official events.
The cooperation also includes providing World Cup ticket information and various "gamification features" such as filters and stickers to further increase user engagement on the platform. FIFA Secretary General Matthias Grafström said this is an "innovative and creative collaboration" that will connect more fans to the World Cup in an unprecedented way, allowing them to "go behind the scenes and closer to the action than ever before."
Grafström stressed that as football grows and attracts more and more people, the way it is communicated and promoted should also evolve. FIFA hopes to use TikTok's global influence and short video format to expand the reach of World Cup content, especially young audiences.
There will be 48 teams participating in the 2026 World Cup, and the competition will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The tournament will kick off with Mexico's opening match against South Africa on June 11 and end with the final on July 19.
It is worth noting that TikTok’s regulatory and political controversy background in the United States has also added complexity to this cooperation. During his first term, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his desire to ban TikTok to address national security concerns; in 2024, the U.S. Congress passed legislation arguing that the application could be used to blackmail U.S. citizens or interfere with elections.
However, in December last year, TikTok's CEO announced that the company had signed an agreement and was endorsed by Trump, who claimed that he was "saving" the app. This change in attitude has laid the foundation for TikTok to continue operating in the US market and launch in-depth commercial cooperation with FIFA.
TikTok announced in 2021 that its user base has reached 1 billion and has accumulated multiple cooperation experiences in the field of sports events. During the 2023 Women's World Cup, TikTok established an official partnership with FIFA for the first time. The views of related official hashtags during the middle of the tournament reached 1.8 billion times. It also introduced a creator project that can be monetized through content.
In addition to the World Cup, TikTok has previously cooperated with many football events such as Burnley Women's Football Team, Women's European Cup, Club World Cup and Bangladesh Women's Super League. In other sports areas, the platform has also established content partnerships with organizations such as the tennis ATP Tour and golf PGA Tour.
Under this agreement, TikTok will become one of FIFA's important platforms to enhance the digital communication of the 2026 World Cup. Through the combination of short video live broadcasts, creator content and interactive functions, FIFA is trying to build a more social and participatory viewing channel outside the traditional broadcast system.