Xiaohongshu Just Scored the 2026 World Cup Broadcasting Rights in China

Plot twist nobody saw coming: Xiaohongshu, the app where you go for skincare routines and aesthetic cafe recommendations, just became China's exclusive World Cup broadcaster for 2026 ⚽️

The platform officially announced it's now the authorized streaming partner for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (happening in the US, Canada, and Mexico), working directly with China Media Group. This makes Xiaohongshu the only platform in China's public internet space allowed to livestream, replay, and create clips from the tournament — aside from state broadcaster CMG's own channels and China Mobile's Migu platform.

Here's what's fascinating: Xiaohongshu already has over 100 million football fans on the platform, with football-related interactions doubling in the past year. Who knew all those users browsing workout fits and travel posts were secretly football fanatics?

But this move is pure strategic genius. Xiaohongshu's user base has always skewed heavily toward young women in major cities, with relatively few male users. The World Cup — basically the ultimate "bro content" — is their golden ticket to balance those demographics and hit their goal of 200 million daily active users.

They're going all-out too: dedicated World Cup channels, commentary teams, fan communities, and even "football buddy matching" features to help people find viewing partners. Plus they're bringing in legendary football stars as special guests throughout the tournament.

This isn't just about streaming rights — it's Xiaohongshu's first major push into sports commercialization. They're opening up brand partnerships for live match streams and planning to monetize all that World Cup content through the tournament and beyond.

From makeup tutorials to World Cup matches — now that's what you call platform evolution 📱