Fifa secures last-minute India broadcasting deal with Zee Entertainment ahead of 2026 World Cup

Fifa has finalised a broadcasting agreement with Zee Entertainment for the 2026 World Cup in India, ending months of negotiations and averting a blackout in one of the world’s largest sports markets just ten days before the tournament opens on 11 June.

The deal, announced jointly by Fifa and Zee, extends well beyond the men’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It covers 39 Fifa events over eight years through 2034, including the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Financial terms were not disclosed, though Fifa had initially sought around $100 million for an India package covering both the 2026 and 2030 World Cups before reducing its asking price to $60 million, according to Reuters. Zee’s shares rose approximately 7% following the announcement.

The path to a deal was complicated by several factors. JioStar — the Reliance-Disney joint venture that currently dominates India’s sports broadcast market and aired the 2022 World Cup through its predecessor Viacom18 — offered around $20 million for the rights but was rejected by Fifa. Sony, which held rights for the 2014 and 2018 tournaments, held discussions but ultimately did not submit a bid. Viacom18 had paid approximately $60 million for the 2022 rights, a tournament hosted in Qatar in time zones far more favourable for Indian viewers.

That time-zone advantage is absent this year. Most matches will be screened late at night in India due to the difference with North American kick-off times, a factor that dampened broadcaster appetite throughout negotiations and made Fifa’s sales effort considerably harder.

The agreement gives Zee a significant foothold in India’s competitive sports rights landscape, where JioStar’s grip on premium properties — including the Indian Premier League — has made it difficult for rivals to establish themselves.

India will not be competing at the tournament, which will feature 48 teams for the first time in the competition’s history. The action begins on 11 June when co-hosts Mexico face South Africa, a repeat of the opening fixture of the 2010 World Cup. More than 100 matches are scheduled across five and a half weeks, with the final to be played in New Jersey on 19 July.