Why has FIFA not signed a World Cup broadcast deal in India?

Lead

With just days to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, football fans in India — the world's most populous nation — finally have a broadcaster. Zee Entertainment, a major Indian media conglomerate, has signed a deal with FIFA to broadcast the tournament in the country, ending a months-long deadlock that had cast doubt on whether the event would be available to Indian audiences.

The agreement, announced on Monday, covers 39 FIFA events over eight years through 2034, including the 2027 Women's World Cup, according to a joint statement from FIFA and Zee. The financial terms were not disclosed, but the deal comes after FIFA reportedly reduced its asking price from an initial $100 million for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups to about $60 million, as reported by Reuters.

Coverage Comparison

Al Jazeera, which provided extensive coverage of the broadcast rights saga, reported the breakthrough in multiple articles. Earlier reports had highlighted the impasse, noting that FIFA had struggled to find buyers in India — a market that delivered impressive viewership numbers during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The outlet's earlier coverage focused on the uncertainty facing Indian fans, with reports noting that no broadcaster had been secured with weeks to go before the tournament. Those reports cited factors such as unfavorable kickoff times and a perceived lack of interest from Indian broadcasters as reasons for the struggle.

Subsequent Al Jazeera reports confirmed that Zee Entertainment was in talks with FIFA, and later that a deal had been struck. The convergence of reporting across these articles provides a consistent narrative: FIFA reduced its price, and Zee stepped in to fill the void.

Key Claims

The deal between FIFA and Zee Entertainment covers the 2026 and 2030 World Cups, the 2027 Women's World Cup, and a total of 39 FIFA events through 2034, according to a joint statement from the two organizations. Financial terms were not disclosed, but reports indicate FIFA initially sought $100 million for the broadcast rights before cutting its asking price to approximately $60 million.

India's significance as a football market is underscored by viewership data from the 2022 World Cup. According to figures released by FIFA, India trailed only China in overall engagement, with more than 745 million fans following the tournament across all media platforms. Nearly 84 million viewers watched on television, placing India among the top 10 countries for TV viewership — ahead of World Cup participants Germany, France, and England. The final alone drew 32 million viewers on Reliance's JioCinema streaming platform, which paid $60 million for the 2022 rights.

Despite these numbers, broadcasters in India were initially hesitant to commit to the 2026 tournament. The kickoff times for most matches posed a significant concern: only 14 of the 104 World Cup games will begin before midnight for Indian viewers, due to the time difference between host cities and the South Asian nation. By comparison, 98.4 percent of matches at the 2018 World Cup started before midnight, and 82.5 percent at the 2022 edition in Qatar.

Industry observers note that the economics of sports broadcasting in India are shifting. Karan Taurani, executive vice president at investment firm Elara Capital, was quoted by Al Jazeera as saying that television is a "struggling" medium in India, and that "when you have these kinds of sporting events, effectively it is mostly digital that is monetising and raising big money."

Perspectives

For Indian football fans, the deal brings relief after weeks of uncertainty. The 2022 World Cup saw passionate celebrations across the country — from street parties in Bangalore to record-breaking streaming numbers — and the prospect of missing the 2026 tournament had generated significant concern. The agreement ensures that fans will be able to watch the matches, even if many kickoff times will be in the late-night hours.

From FIFA's perspective, securing a broadcaster in India was critical, given the country's enormous audience. The reduction in asking price — from $100 million to around $60 million — reflects a pragmatic approach to a market where broadcasters face the dual challenges of unfavorable time zones and a competitive sports media landscape.

For Zee Entertainment, the deal represents a strategic entry into sports broadcasting in India, where the Reliance-Disney joint venture JioStar holds rights to major properties including the Indian Premier League and the English Premier League. The announcement was well received by investors, with Zee's shares rising approximately 7 percent on the day.

As the tournament approaches, the broadcast arrangement will be put to the test. While the financial terms may not meet FIFA's original ambitions, the deal ensures that one of the world's largest sports audiences will not be left out of the conversation — even if they may be watching well after midnight.