FIFA has launched a new digital streaming service (FIFA+) that will provide free live matches to competitions from around the world, as well as Netflix-style documentaries.
The new platform, funded by the advertisers, also includes an archive of all the men's and women's World Cup matches recorded by cameras over the ages.
"This project represents a cultural shift in the way football fans interact with and explore the global game," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
FIFA will launch the service with a long documentary film about Ronaldinho, the former Brazil and Barcelona midfielder, as well as a number of other films in the "FIFA Originals" series, produced by foreign companies.
Broadcasting of live matches will be geographically restricted so that the service does not compete with other broadcast rights holders in the region.
#FIFAPlus: Your new home for football
Watch thousands of live matches per month, stories of your favorite football players and the largest archive of World Cup matches:
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— FIFA.com - Arabic (@fifacom_ar) April 12, 2022
Broadcasting 40,000 live matches annually
"By the end of this year, (FIFA +) will broadcast the equivalent of 40,000 live matches annually from 100 member associations and 6 confederations, including 11,000 matches for women's football," FIFA said in a statement.
He added, "FIFA + will also provide wide and direct coverage of football, from the major European tournaments to the various men's, women's and youth competitions all over the world, especially those that have not been well known before."
The biggest source of FIFA's revenue is the TV rights for the men's World Cup, and although there are currently no plans to charge for content on FIFA+, the organization expects to generate income from advertising.
(FIFA+) Free forever
Charlotte Burr, director of FIFA+, told reporters that there were no plans to charge viewers for content, but that any change could not be ruled out in the future.
"It's free and the intention is that it's free forever. There is no plan to charge subscription fees for the service," she added.
This is the first time ever that such an archive is available to all football fans without exception, and fans will be able to watch matches in full, enjoy summaries, goals and magical moments in one place, which is our new platform.
The FIFA+ archive will be opened with more than 2,500 videos dating back to the 1950s, and this number will increase with the passage of days.