France's TF1 lands World Cup deal

World Cup fever is already taking hold in Japan

PARIS, France -- Commercial TV group TF1 has bought the rights to televise the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.

The multi-million dollar deal means French fans will be able to watch their team defend their title on free-to-air television rather than through pay-to-view stations.

France's victory as hosts in the 1998 World Cup finals lifted national pride and sent the country football mad after giving the competition a cool reception during the early matches.

TF1 said in a statement its deal with Germany's KirchMedia, which is marketing the viewing rights for the world's biggest sports event, would also give it limited rights to the 2006 tournament.

The deal allows TF1 to screen 24 matches from the 2006 tournament in Germany, including the semi-finals and final.

TF1 said it had an option expiring at the end of 2003 to buy the French rights to the whole of the 2006 finals from Kirch.

The overall contract is worth 168 million euros, TF1 said.

In Britain the BBC has secured a similar deal with Kirch for broadcasting matches on terrestrial television.

KirchMedia -- the core division of privately owned Kirch Group -- has agreed to pay FIFA, the world football governing body, about $2 billion for the worldwide rights to the games in 2002 and 2006.