Zee Entertainment in Talks to Broadcast World Cup in India

FIFA World Cup 2026 Broadcasting Rights Talks Stall in India

India’s Zee Entertainment has announced that it is in talks with FIFA to stream and broadcast the 2026 World Cup in the country. The company made this statement on Tuesday, without providing any financial details.

This announcement comes as negotiations between a Reliance-Disney joint venture and FIFA are at an impasse, just weeks before the tournament’s scheduled kickoff on June 11. According to previous reports, FIFA had initially sought $100m for broadcast rights for both the 2026 and 2030 World Cups in India, with the organization later revising its request to around $60m.

The Reliance-Disney joint venture has offered significantly less, at around $20m. Sony also considered making an offer but ultimately decided not to pursue FIFA’s broadcasting rights for India.

FIFA has secured agreements with broadcasters in over 180 territories worldwide, according to the organization. The Indian market is expected to be a significant one, given its large and engaged sports fan base. In the 2022 Qatar World Cup, India accounted for 2.9% of global linear TV reach, trailing only China in terms of overall engagement figures.

India’s television viewing numbers were among the top 10 countries during the tournament, with nearly 84 million viewers tuning in to watch the action. Zee Entertainment’s talks with FIFA are part of its launch of Unite8 Sports, a dedicated portfolio of sports channels aimed at strengthening its sports offerings to consumers.

Source: Al Jazeera