Football fans could soon be watching World Cup action on YouTube this summer, thanks to a groundbreaking deal between FIFA and British broadcasters.
Both the BBC and ITV have been given the green light to stream five complete matches each on their YouTube channels during the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
On top of that, they'll be able to share the opening 10 minutes of every single game from the competition – that's all 104 matches.
It's a landmark move that marks a significant shift in how major sporting events reach audiences in the UK.
BBC and ITV have clinched a deal with FIFA to show matches on YouTube
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The strategy behind this move is all about reaching younger audiences who've made YouTube their go-to platform for watching content.
It's a clever approach when you think about it – meeting fans where they already spend their time.
Globally, FIFA's deal allows rights holders to broadcast 10 full matches on their YouTube accounts.
But since British coverage is divided between two broadcasters, the BBC and ITV will each get five games to stream.
It's worth noting that neither broadcaster has officially confirmed they'll take up the offer just yet – there's still plenty of work to be done before anything goes live.
Before any matches can be streamed, both broadcasters need to sit down and work out which games they actually want to show on the platform.
YouTube will broadcast World Cup matches this summer
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Once they've made their picks, they'll need to get the thumbs up from FIFA to make it official.
Here's where it gets interesting – there's talk that the BBC and ITV might even put in a request to stream the final itself on YouTube.
According to The Times, that could be seen as pushing their luck a bit, but it shows just how seriously they're taking this new opportunity.
The World Cup will be hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico | PAFIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom has been enthusiastic about the YouTube partnership, saying the agreement "will engage global fans in ways never seen before" and reinforces FIFA's ambition to maximise the tournament's impact across the "ever-evolving media landscape."
Beyond full matches, the deal opens up some brilliant extras for fans.
Broadcasters will be able to share extended highlights and interviews on their YouTube accounts, which has become standard practice at recent tournaments.
There's also a fun twist – social media influencers can now present matchday coverage specifically for the platform if broadcasters choose to go down that route.