MOSCOW (AP) FIFA says it has reached a TV rights deal with Russian broadcasters for the Confederations Cup just six days before the tournament kicks off.
The deal means state-controlled Channel One and Match TV will televise games for the event, which will take place from June 17 to July 2, but host nation Russia remains without a deal for next year’s World Cup.
The last-minute negotiations are highly unusual for FIFA, which prefers to ink broadcast deals several years before big events.
FIFA wanted Russia to sign a deal covering both the World Cup and the Confederations Cup, a warm-up event.