A Bloomberg report has said FIFA has rejected bids for the broadcasts rights of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which would cover Italy, Germany, France, Spain and the UK.

FIFA chief partnerships and media officer, Romy Gai said bids have been rejected by the tournament organisers due to a lack of willingness of broadcasters to pay what the women’s game deserves.

“Audience figures show that the Women’s World Cup 2019 in France was a catalyst for change in terms of TV audience,” Gai said.

“A combined 1.12 billion viewers tuned into official broadcast coverage across all platforms of the final between America and the Netherlands, which became the most watched FIFA Women’s World Cup match ever.

“We know the opportunity for women’s football is there, now, together, we need to capture it,” he said.

A large discrepancy between the value of television rights for the men’s and women’s World Cups was also acknowledged.

According to Gai, broadcasters value the women’s tournament at roughly 2% of what they value the men’s, despite the women’s football audience being 20% of men’s tournaments.

These comments come as popularity in the women’s game has seemingly been on the rise in recent years, with the 2022 UEFA Euros tournament, held in England, as well and the 2022/23 Women’s Super League having setting attendance records.