Indian football fans can finally breathe easy. Zee Entertainment on Monday secured the rights to broadcast the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending months of uncertainty over where the tournament would be available in India.
The agreement comes just 10 days before the World Cup kicks off on June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico. India had been one of the last major markets without a broadcaster for football's showpiece event after lengthy negotiations between FIFA and potential rights holders.
The deal also gives Zee the rights to 38 other FIFA events through 2034, securing long-term coverage of international football for viewers in one of the sport's biggest markets.
Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed. However, Reuters had previously reported that FIFA initially sought around 100 million US Dollars for the India package covering the 2026 and 2030 World Cups before reducing its asking price to 60 million US Dollars.
India's dominant sports broadcaster JioStar, the Reliance-Disney joint venture that aired the 2022 FIFA World Cup through its predecessor Viacom18, had reportedly offered around 20 million US Dollars for the rights. The bid was rejected by FIFA, according to Reuters. Sony, which broadcast the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups in India, also held discussions over the rights package but ultimately did not submit a bid.
The agreement brings an end to months of speculation over the availability of the tournament in India and ensures that fans will be able to watch the first-ever 48-team FIFA World Cup. The expanded tournament will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and is expected to be the biggest edition in the competition's history.
To strengthen its sports offerings, the company also announced the launch of four dedicated sports channels, Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD.
Zee said the channels have been launched to ensure an engaging viewing experience for sports fans across the country as it prepares to bring FIFA events to Indian audiences over the next eight years.
For Zee, the acquisition marks a major addition to its sports portfolio and gives the broadcaster control of some of the biggest events on the global football calendar. With the World Cup just days away, the deal also ensures that Indian viewers will not miss out on football's biggest spectacle.
Source: India Today