Fans Cry Foul as China vs. Japan World Cup Qualifier Only Available on Paid Live Stream

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iQiyi has secured rights to prominent football leagues such as the English Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A.

Controversy erupted after a highly anticipated soccer match between China’s national team and Japan on Thursday wasn’t shown on the state-owned TV station and was only available via a paid live stream on iQiyi.

Fans anxious to watch the opening game of the FIFA 2026 World Cup Asian qualifying tournament, a crucial stage in China’s bid for the next World Cup, were faced with the option of buying a 318-yuan ($45) annual iQiyi package or paying a smaller fee of 9 yuan to access the game through a monthly membership.

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China's match against Japan in the FIFA 2026 World Cup Asian qualifying tournament wasn't broadcast on the state-owned TV and was available only via paid live streams on iQiyi and Douyin.
Fans faced costs ranging from 9 yuan for a monthly iQiyi membership to 318 yuan for an annual package; Douyin required at least 15 yuan for 99 diamonds.
CCTV did not secure the broadcast rights due to high costs but is negotiating for future matches.

AI generated, for reference only

Who’s Who

iQiyi: iQiyi is a streaming platform that has secured rights for prominent football leagues such as the English Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A. It offered a paid live stream of the FIFA 2026 World Cup Asian qualifying match between China and Japan after state-owned CCTV failed to secure the broadcasting rights. Fans had options to buy an annual package for 318 yuan ($45) or a monthly membership for 9 yuan to access the game.

ByteDance Ltd.: ByteDance Ltd. is a technology company that owns the Douyin platform. For the soccer match between China and Japan, viewers could watch the game via Douyin by purchasing 99 virtual diamonds, which cost at least 15 yuan.

iQiyi Sports: iQiyi Sports, a joint venture between iQiyi and Xinying Sports, has become a major player in the sports broadcasting space. Over the past decade, it has secured broadcasting rights for prominent football leagues including the English Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A.

Xinying Sports: Xinying Sports is a joint venture partner with iQiyi in iQiyi Sports. Together, they have secured broadcast rights to prominent football leagues such as the English Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A over the past decade.

AI generated, for reference only

What Happened When

2024-09-05：: The highly anticipated soccer match between China’s national team and Japan was not shown on the state-owned TV station and was only available via a paid live stream on iQiyi.

Late Thursday, 2024-09-05：: CCTV released a statement saying it had not obtained the broadcast rights due to the high costs demanded by the Asia Football Group.

AI generated, for reference only