For all issues related to accreditation, the available e-mail address is: media-accreditation@fifa.org
The media accreditation process for 2018 World Cup began on 2nd December 2017, the day after the final draw, and ends on 31st January 2018. In order for media representatives to be able to access and submit an online accreditation form, they must meet two important conditions, that is:
to have an approved FIFA Media Channel account and,
to have a unique user ID and electronic key that will be received in due time in accordance with the following instructions that are essential for media accreditation procedures.
Generally
Media accreditation will be done online. Certain media representatives will be able to access an on-line accreditation form only through the FIFA Media Channel and complete it using a unique user ID and access key.
As in previous World Cups, the associations will be assigned a certain number of press and photo accreditations. This number will be based on the experience and number of media representatives present in the past Cups and, of course, whether a particular association qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup final tournament.
Accordingly, FF BH received a total of 12 accreditations for the FIFA World Cup in Russia:
10 accreditation for journalists (written press, websites and free journalists) and 2 for photographers.
The media service of each national association is responsible for registering of the allocation in the Quota Management System (QMS), following specific instructions for use and for distributing a unique identifier number of users and electronic keys to the selected media in accordance with the distribution process.
Categories
Representatives of the media for the 2018 FIFA World Cup must be divided into different categories for accreditation (press, photographers, non-right holders, etc.). Then, other categories for television staff (commentators, especially technical staff) who are right holders/owners will be directly accredited by the FIFA TV Department.
Categories and relevant organizations are:
a) Written media
Media representatives writing for newspapers, magazines and other printed publications must apply to their national associations for accreditation, through their media houses.
Russian media representatives must seek accreditation from the Russian Local Organizing Committee (LOC) through their media houses. Contact e-mail of LOC for accreditation issues is mediaaccreditation@loc2018.com
Foreign correspondents in Russia must submit their application for accreditation to their national association through the chief editorial office in their home country.
Examples: Sport-Express (Russia) must apply to the Russian LOC to accredit its reporters, online journalists, and photographers.
The correspondent of Der Spiegel (Germany) in Russia must submit a request for accreditation of the German Football Federation (DFB) through the office of the Der Spiegel Editorial Office in Hamburg.
b) Photographers
The same procedure applies to photographers.
c) International and national press and photo agencies
FIFA will be directly responsible for the following international press and photo agencies: AFP, AP, Bloomberg, DPA, EFE, EPA, Getty Images, Jiji Press, Kyodo News, Press Association, Reuters, Rossiya Segodnya, Sid, TASS and Xinhua.
National news agencies and photo agencies should apply to their national associations.
d) Independent media
Representatives of independent (free) media must use the same procedure that applies to journalists of written media, that is, they must apply to their national association. The FIFA Media Accreditation Department will be directly responsible for international independent journalists and photographers who live and work in a foreign country. (media-accreditation@fifa.org)
e) Internet Journalists and Photographers
Journalists working for online newspapers or magazines should be accredited directly from the quotas assigned to these newspapers or magazines (through QMS). It is the responsibility of each media house to decide on the ratio of the number of journalists in written press and internet journalists. Journalists and photographers who work for local or national internet portals must send their application through their national association, while the main international press portals should contact the FIFA Media Accreditation Department. (media-accreditation@fifa.org)
f) Radio and Television Non-right holders (NRH)
Those who are not the holders of radio and TV rights are radio and TV companies without the right to broadcast for 2018 FIFA World Cup. As defined by the contract, and due to limited space, FIFA will accredit only a small number of organizations with access to stadiums, only on days when the matches are not played.
The accreditation period for NRH representatives begins on 1st February 2018 through FIFA Media Channel, and closes on 28th February 2018. The extension of this time period is not possible. Regarding the accreditation of the NRH representatives please contact nrh@fifa.org.
g) Media rights licences (MRL)
Media rights licenses have radio, television, mobile and broadband rights holders and FIFA is directly responsible for them, which will introduce them to deadlines and the process of accreditation through its FIFA Broadcaster Servicing team.
Filling in forms and deadlines
Since 2nd December, media representatives who have been assigned an accreditation key by their football association can continue to access the media accreditation form via FIFA Media Channel (http://media.fifa.com). Media representatives must have an approved Media Channel account to access the accreditation form. Media that have not yet opened the FIFA Media Channel account is advised to do so as soon as possible.
The closing date is 31st January 2018. All applications will pass a security check by the Russian authorities. Any negative response will result in a rejected application. From the end of February 2018, FIFA and LOC will begin to send accreditation certificates. For further information, media representatives should follow the FIFA Media Channel.
FIFA Media Channel
Registration to the FIFA Media Channel is absolutely necessary in order to access the media accreditation form and the media ticketing system. Access is limited and can only be obtained using individual user ID and password. Media representatives with approved access are able to access the media accreditation form and ticketing system.
Media representatives who have not yet been registered can fill in the registration form: http://media.fifa.com/registration.
It is important to note that a special user identification number and an electronic key to access the online media accreditation form are not the same as the individual user ID and password to access the FIFA Media Channel.
Media tickets for 48 group matches
The online process for media registering for tickets, requiring tickets for 48 group matches, will begin with media accreditations. Ticket requests will be solved exclusively through the ticketing system of the FIFA Media Channel. Only media representatives who have already submitted a media accreditation form will have the right to order tickets from the list of 48 group matches.
Visas
Representatives of the media from countries that need a visa to travel to Russia will apply for visas in consular departments of the Russian Federation. Media representatives accredited for the 2018 FIFA World Cup may apply for a double entry visa valid from mid-May to mid-July 2018, with a particularly simplified procedure. This type of visa is free, if a visa is collected directly in the consular department. Detailed information on the procedure for obtaining a visa will be given to media representatives in a letter of accreditation approval.
The final date for applications is 31st January 2018.
Application status confirmation will be sent from the end of February 2018.
FF BH informs all domestic media about the method of work on accreditation:
- We invite all media representatives to submit FF BH applications for accreditation in official form (on the editorial board's memorandum and with the signature of the editor-in-chief) for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia on 27 December 2017 the latest, by electronic means to the following address: dinko.ceko@nsbih.ba
- FF BH will hold a meeting of the Media Committee by the end of December 2017 and draw up a list on the basis of which the accreditations will be distributed to editorials and journalists, and on the basis of the following criteria:
a) National news agencies / media partners of FF BH
b) Sports Department / Media
c) Other news media in accordance with the circulation and influence in the media market. - Journalists appointed by their editorial offices to report from the 20108 FIFA World Cup in Russia will conduct an individual process of applying for accreditation in January and no later than 31st January 2018.
