Xiaohongshu (小红书) reportedly wins chunk of World Cup rights — but can the lifestyle app turn fans into long‑term users?

A strategic play for male users

Xiaohongshu (小红书) has reportedly become, alongside China Central Television (CCTV, 中央广播电视总台) and telecom affiliate Migu (咪咕), one of the few platforms holding live, rebroadcast and short‑video rights for the upcoming World Cup. It has been reported that Xiaohongshu paid a fee similar to past deals; by comparison, industry sources say Migu and Douyin (抖音) paid more than RMB 1 billion for 2022 sublicenses. Why would a platform known for female‑oriented lifestyle content make this bet? Simple: audience growth. Xiaohongshu’s monthly active users top 400 million, but its gender mix is roughly 7:3 female‑to‑male, and management reportedly sees major sports rights as a direct route to broaden that base.

Programming, product and the tech test

According to multiple media reports, Xiaohongshu plans full‑stack streaming — app, web and casting to TV — plus curated commentary, fan interaction and tournament‑specific product features like dedicated channels and prediction games. It has been reported that the platform also pursued high‑profile sports stars for creator tie‑ins. But technical and operational questions remain. In 2022 Douyin streamed the World Cup in 4K, ad‑free, and built a strong live‑viewing reputation; Xiaohongshu’s live infrastructure and experience at this scale are less proven. Can the app match quality and uptime when millions tune in simultaneously?

Community fit and retention risk

There is a tougher cultural hurdle. Xiaohongshu’s content ecosystem skews toward outfits, lifestyle tips and product reviews. Users and creators have shaped a particular tone; sports coverage on the platform so far emphasizes star culture and matchday fashion as much as tactics or data analysis. Platforms anchored in sports discussion — for example Hupu (虎扑) or long‑time live hubs — already offer instant scores, player stats and deep tactical debate. Winning viewers for 90 minutes is one thing. Keeping them engaged and converting them into habitual male users is another.

Bigger picture: rights, risk and reward

Sporting rights in China are commercially—and politically—sensitive. State consolidation of major broadcast rights and heavy bidding by large internet firms have pushed prices up and concentrated influence. For Xiaohongshu, the World Cup is both a costly marketing gambit and a product stress test: balance content supply, creator capability and streaming reliability, and the payoff could be sustained audience diversification; fail, and the investment will look like an expensive experiment. It has been reported that the platform is treating this as the start of a longer male‑user push — the real verdict will come only after the final whistle and the post‑tournament retention numbers.