Ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Fox’s free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service Tubi has launched a dedicated linear channel focused on programming around the much-anticipated soccer sporting event.
The FAST channel will feature highlights and analysis from this year’s FIFA World Cup, as well as series and films focused on past tournaments. Notably, replays of every FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match – which start November 20 – will be available at no cost on-demand and in the programming channel lineup. Prior to the competition, the channel will offer specials such as “FIFA World up Qatar 2022: Qatar Prepares.” Also in the lead-up, Tubi’s free channel will offer special Fox Sports Digital content, while event coverage with highlight compilation videos will be available during the tournament.
Viewers will also be able to watch earlier matches from the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015, FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 and FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019.
For on-demand library content, users can watch content such as “FIFA World Cup Classics,” “FIFA Women’s World Cup Classics,” and “Gold Stars – The Story,” among others.
“We’re proud to be the ultimate streaming destination in the U.S. to celebrate the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 tournament,” said Farhad Massoudi, founder and CEO at Tubi, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to give our viewers different entry points to enjoy one of the largest global sports events, whether they want to drop into the experience via our FAST Channel or actively engage through VOD, Tubi is making sure soccer fans never miss a moment of this historic winter World Cup.”
Fox Sports previously secured rights to the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, along with Telemundo, at a price tag of around $1 billion. Fox Sports will be broadcasting the competition live while Telemundo will offer a Spanish-language airing. According to NBC Sports, the 2022 FIFA World Cup can also be live streamed on Peacock, Fubo TV, Sling TV, and Vidgo.
As for Tubi, the latest FAST channel adds to its list of around 150 sports, entertainment and local news channels. The free streaming TV service owned by Fox has also expanded its reach recently. It launched in five new countries in Latin America last month, after entering Canada earlier this summer through a partnership with Shaw Communications that included integration into the TV provider’s set-top boxes. Also in August, Fox reached a new distribution deal with Verizon that included carriage of Tubi and Fox Weather on its Fios service.
In the U.S. Tubi’s available on Android and iOS mobile devices, Comcast’s Xfinity X1, Cox Contour, connected TV devices including Amazon Fire TV, Vizio, LG, Sony, Samsung, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast and Android TV, as well as PlayStation and Xbox.