The world governing body for the biggest sport in the world now has its own free streaming service. Fifa+ will stream “live domestic league games from around the globe,” as well as match stats, a huge archive of international football, new original content, and more.
The announcement comes amid preparations for World Cup 2022 in Qatar, which starts in late November. One catch, though — you’re not going to be watching the World Cup this year via the FIFA+ app. Go figure.
In all, the service boasts more than 29,000 men’s matches and 11,000 women’s matches from some 100 member nations. The FIFA press release says to expect 1,400 matches streamed live every month, with that number increasing over time.
“FIFA+ represents the next step in our vision to make football truly global and inclusive, and it underpins FIFA’s core mission of expanding and developing football globally,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in the press release. “This project represents a cultural shift in the way different types of football fans want to connect with and explore the global game and has been a fundamental part of my Vision 2020-2023. It will accelerate the democratisation of football and we are delighted to share it with fans.”
FIFA also says that the FIFA+ app will be “home to every FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup match ever recorded on camera,” with more than 2,000 hours of archival content across 2,500 videos, reaching back into the 1950s.
There are a number of new originals on hand, too, including:
- Ronaldinho: The Happiest Man in the World: The 90-minute documentary offers extensive access to and never-seen-before archive of one of the most iconic players to have played the game. Directed by Stuart and Andrew Douglas.
- Captains: Season 1: A groundbreaking eight-part series from Fulwell 73 (Sunderland ‘Til I Die, All or Nothing: Juventus) following six captains as they lead their countries through qualification for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
- Croatia: Defining a Nation: This original feature-length documentary tells the story of how football unites and binds this nation and a group of friends who reached global recognition against the backdrop of the most extreme adversity.
- HD Cutz: An original eight-part docuseries with barber-to-the-stars Sheldon Edwards talking food, fashion, music, and, sometimes, football.
- Dani Crazy Dream: An all-access 6 x 30-minute documentary series featuring Dani Alves, the most decorated player in history as he tries to make it to the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
- Golden Boot: An original 4 x 48-minute docuseries interviewing the greatest FIFA World Cup goalscorers, produced by Goalhanger Films (Wayne Rooney: The Man Behind the Goals).
- Icons: A 5 x 26-minute docuseries showcasing five of the biggest game-changers of the women’s game: Wendie Renard, Lucy Bronze, Asisat Oshoala, Carli Lloyd, and Sam Kerr telling their stories in their own words.
- Academies: The inside story of some of the greatest talent production lines in world football from Shoot the Company.
The FIFA+ app is currently available on Android and iOS devices, and in a web browser, and is available in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. More devices will be supported soon, FIFA says.
