2 min readMumbaiUpdated: May 23, 2026 03:38 PM IST
World football’s governing body, FIFA, is close to finalising its India broadcast partner for next month’s World Cup, ending months of uncertainty around the telecast of the sport’s biggest event in the country.
Sources told The Indian Express that FIFA recently held meetings with executives from two Indian broadcasters — JioHotstar and Zee network, which is preparing a return to the sports broadcasting space. While Jio, which aired the 2022 World Cup, is learnt to have stuck to its valuation of $20 million, Zee, a late entrant to the race, has now emerged as a strong contender after Sony and FanCode chose not to enter the fray.
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FIFA, which had initially quoted close to $100 million for rights to the 2026 and 2030 editions combined, has since slashed expectations to nearly $35 million amid weak market interest. The final deal is expected to be in the $35 million range and would include the 2026 and 2030 men’s World Cups.
A source said an official announcement is likely to be made next week, once the agreement is formally signed.
India is the last major market for which FIFA is yet to secure broadcasting rights. Last week, the governing body signed a deal with CCTV to show its flagship event on the Chinese mainland. That deal covers the2026 and 2030 men’s World Cups, and the 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cups.
For India, one of the challenges has been the timing of the matches. Of the 104 matches scheduled across the USA, Canada and Mexico, nearly 90 per cent will be played between midnight and 6 am IST — a difficult slot for advertisers, especially with India not featuring in the tournament.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar, won by Lionel Messi’s Argentina, was reportedly acquired for around Rs 480 crore ($60 million). Industry estimates suggest broadcasters struggled to recover even half the investment through advertising revenues, making FIFA’s initial asking price this time commercially unviable for major players.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
