FIFA has reached an agreement with India’s Zee Entertainment to broadcast the World Cup, resolving a prolonged impasse over media rights in one of the tournament’s key remaining unsold markets.
The deal, signed on Monday, did not disclose financial details. However, reports indicate FIFA initially sought around $100 million for the 2026 and 2030 editions before reducing its demand to approximately $60 million.
Under the arrangement, Zee gains entry into India’s competitive sports broadcasting landscape, where the Reliance-Disney joint venture JioStar already controls major properties including the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the English Premier League.
According to a joint statement from FIFA and Zee, the agreement spans 39 FIFA events over an eight-year period through 2034, including the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Zee’s shares responded positively to the announcement, rising by roughly 7 percent during the trading session.
The deal comes just 10 days before the 2026 World Cup begins on June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Industry analysts have noted that scheduling remains a key challenge for broadcasters in India due to the significant time difference between South Asia and the host nations. Many matches are expected to air during late-night hours locally, potentially limiting viewership.
Only 14 of the 104 matches are scheduled to begin before midnight in India. The final, set for July 19 in New Jersey at 19:00 GMT, will air at 12:30am on July 20 in India. By contrast, the vast majority of matches in previous editions were played at more viewer-friendly local times.
According to FIFA data, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar reached an estimated 2.87 billion viewers globally, with China, the Middle East, Brazil, Indonesia, and the United States among the largest markets.
Elara Capital executive vice president Karan Taurani described television in India as a “struggling” medium, noting that digital platforms now capture most of the value from major sporting events.
“When you have these kinds of sporting events, effectively it is mostly digital that is monetising and raising big money,” Taurani told Al Jazeera. “That is a big reason why no one’s showing interest in the FIFA World Cup.”
He added that cricket continues to dominate India’s sports economy, with limited crossover interest in football.
“Only a small fraction of people who watch the Indian Premier League will watch the FIFA World Cup,” he said, noting that late-night scheduling further reduces potential audiences.
Previous rights holders, including Viacom18, reportedly paid around $60 million for the 2022 World Cup, which was played in a more favourable time zone for Indian viewers. This year’s scheduling, however, has complicated broadcaster interest and contributed to FIFA’s prolonged negotiations in the market.
Television reach at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
According to FIFA, 2.87 billion viewers watched at least one minute of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 coverage on linear TV, with 2.21 billion going on to watch 20 minutes or more. The top markets include (in millions):
China
509.8m
Middle East
288.2m
Brazil
168.4m
Indonesia
142.1m
United States
118.9m
Japan
101.3m
Pakistan
96.9m
Mexico
85m
India
83.8m
Germany
60m
France
56.2m
Turkiye
54.3m
Nigeria
54.2m
United Kingdom
51.2m
Philippines
47.3m
Italy
45.7m
Vietnam
43.7m
Iran
38.5m
Bangladesh
37.9m
South Korea
37.5m
Spain
36.3m
Argentina
35.3m
Colombia
34.5m
Poland
28.1m
Thailand
27.6m
