TikTok will play a major role in coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup under a first-of-its-kind partnership that makes the social video app a preferred platform for the tournament.
The scope of the deal means TikTok will offer expanded original content and integrated football coverage throughout the 48-team tournament staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
TikTok has an estimated audience of 1.6-2 billion monthly active users and is ranked as the fifth-most-used social media network (behind Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram).
The network has rapidly grown in New Zealand, increasing from an estimated 1.3 million users in early 2023 to about two million users in January 2026.
TikTok plan to provide an immersive FIFA World Cup hub within their app, designed to act as a central destination for fans seeking highlights, information and special features.
FIFA say the hub will spotlight match ticket and viewing details and include interactive elements such as custom stickers, filters and gamification features to attract and engage users.
Under the agreement, official FIFA World Cup media partners will be able to post curated clips, live-stream parts of matches and share special content produced by FIFA specifically for TikTok audiences.
That live streaming element represents a notable shift in how fans can access match coverage, complementing traditional broadcast and digital rights arrangements.
Another key part of the partnership is a global creator programme that will give selected TikTok creators access to exclusive behind-the-scenes moments, including press conferences and training sessions.
Creators will also be able to use and co-produce content that draws on FIFA archival footage, helping generate new storytelling angles around players, teams, and tournament history.
FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström said the collaboration is designed to connect the tournament to as many fans as possible with new forms of digital coverage.
TikTok’s global head of content, James Stafford, said football fans who engage with the sport on the platform were statistically more likely to watch live matches.
The agreement runs to the end of 2026 and includes measures to protect FIFA’s intellectual property and limit unauthorised distribution of content.
The partnership builds on previous collaborations between FIFA and TikTok, including coverage of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which generated tens of billions of video views.
The arrangement with TikTok signals a broader mix of short-form video, creator-driven storytelling and interactive features to complement established broadcast coverage during the 2026 tournament.
Source: TikTok will play a major role in coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup under a first-of-its-kind partnership that makes the social video app a preferred platform for the tournament.
