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"&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In a stunning, unexpected move on Thursday that has the U.S. soccer community chattering, FIFA announced it had extended U.S. media rights agreements with Fox and NBC\u2019s Universal\u2019s Telemundo through the 2026 World Cup. No financial figures were released.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u201CWe are truly honored that FIFA has elected to extend Fox Sports\u2019 rights to the portfolio of FIFA events including the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup through 2026,\u201D said a Fox Sports spokesperson. \u201CThese events are some of the world\u2019s most important sports competitions, and it is our privilege to be entrusted with these rights in the United States. We\u2019re looking forward to the kickoff of FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup 2015 in June with great anticipation.\u201D\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When asked by Sports Illustrated to speak to Fox Sports president Eric Shanks, an affable chap who enjoys speaking with media members about all things Fox, a Fox Sports spokesman said, \u201CWe are referring all further inquiries to FIFA.\u201D\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CTV/TSN&amp;nbsp;in Canada has also had its rights agreement extended.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The extensions cover the following tournaments, according to FIFA: The 2026 FIFA World Cup: FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup 2023, FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 and 2025, FIFA U-17 World Cup 2023 and 2025, FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2023 and 2025, FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024, FIFA U-20 Women\u2019s World Cup 2024 and 2026, FIFA U-17 Women\u2019s World Cup 2024 and 2026, and FIFA Confederations Cup 2025.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u201CThese agreements guarantee wide distribution for FIFA tournaments across the US and Canada,\u201D said FIFA Director of TV Niclas Ericson, in a statement. \u201CTogether, we will be able to further promote football in North America and build on the impressive interest shown by audiences in these major territories during the 2014 FIFA World Cup,\u201D\r\n\r\n\r\n\t&lt;strong&gt;MORE: Has the price of English soccer gone beyond crazy?&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The news is a huge development given speculation that the United States is a possible candidate to host the 2026 World Cup. And it stunned veteran soccer watchers and Fox competitors. An ESPN source said the network was unaware of any negotiations for FIFA media rights in the U.S.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tweeted ESPN\u2019s Bob Ley, one of the signature anchors of ESPN\u2019s soccer coverage: \u201CDid FIFA just grant rights to WC2026 without opening it up to bidding? #typicalFIFA\"\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It appears that way. In 2011 Fox outbid ESPN and NBC for the U.S. English-speaking rights\u2013Sports Business Journal reported the total rights fee to be between $400 million to $500 million\u2013while NBCUniversal\u2019s Telemundo paid $600 million for the U.S. Spanish TV rights.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u201CWe\u2019re very pleased that FIFA allowed us to extend our deal as the exclusive U.S. Spanish-language broadcaster of FIFA World Cup tournaments through 2026,\u201D said Joe&amp;nbsp;Uva, NBCUniversal's Chairman of Hispanic Enterprises and Content. \u201CThis unprecedented agreement gives our&amp;nbsp;Telemundo&amp;nbsp;and NBCUniversal viewers and digital consumers more of the world\u2019s best soccer for the next 12 years.\"\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some insiders suggest granting Fox and Telemundo an extra round without opening up the bidding means a move to the winter for the 2022 Qatar World Cup is a done deal. The current North American rights holders would be hurt by that move given the loaded winter sports calendar would hurt viewership. FIFA extending Fox and Telemundo's rights\u2013and not opening it up to other bidders\u2013could be seen as a make-good for the shift in the Qatar tournament.\r\n&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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