The uncertainty surrounding the FIFA World Cup 2026’s broadcast in India has finally come to an end.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) announced on Monday that it has secured the media rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 as part of a wider agreement covering 39 FIFA tournaments through 2034. The deal includes the 2026 and 2030 men’s World Cups, the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and several youth competitions.

The agreement comes less than two weeks before the 2026 World Cup kicks off across the United States, Mexico and Canada on 11 June.

Why was the FIFA World Cup India rights deal delayed?

India had surprisingly remained one of FIFA’s last major unsold markets despite being one of the tournament’s largest audiences globally.

According to Reuters, FIFA initially sought around $100 million for the India package covering the 2026 and 2030 World Cups before reportedly reducing its asking price to around $60 million.

India’s current sports broadcasting giant JioStar, which aired the 2022 World Cup through Viacom18, reportedly offered around $20 million but FIFA rejected the proposal. Sony also held discussions but ultimately did not submit a bid.

That left the tournament without an official Indian broadcaster for months before Zee stepped in to secure the rights.

How big is the Indian audience for the FIFA World Cup?

While India has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, it remains one of football’s biggest television markets.

FIFA data showed India accounted for 2.9 percent of the global linear television audience during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, second only to China in terms of overall engagement.

The tournament attracted an estimated 745 million viewers across television and digital platforms in India. Television viewership alone reached nearly 84 million viewers, putting India ahead of several traditional football nations including England, France and Germany.

Those figures highlight why FIFA was reluctant to heavily discount one of its most valuable emerging markets.

Where will fans be able to watch the FIFA World Cup India?

Zee confirmed that matches will be broadcast on its newly launched sports channels under the Unite8 Sports brand.

The tournament will also be streamed digitally on Zee5, giving viewers access across both television and online platforms.

For Zee, the acquisition represents one of its biggest investments in sports broadcasting and significantly strengthens its position against rivals JioStar and Sony in the battle for premium sports rights.

What tournaments are included in the deal?

Apart from the FIFA World Cup 2026, Zee’s agreement covers a wide range of FIFA events through 2034, including:

• FIFA World Cup 2030
• FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027
• FIFA U-20 World Cups
• FIFA U-17 World Cups
• FIFA Futsal World Cups
• Other men’s, women’s and youth FIFA competitions

The deal ensures Indian football fans will have a consistent home for FIFA tournaments for nearly the next decade.

Why is this a major win for Zee?

The announcement was immediately welcomed by investors, with Zee shares rising more than 5 percent during Monday’s trading session.

Beyond the stock market reaction, the agreement gives Zee one of the most recognisable global sporting properties at a time when football’s popularity in India continues to grow.

With the expanded 48-team World Cup expected to generate record audiences worldwide, Zee now holds one of the most valuable sports broadcasting assets available in the Indian market.