Reliance-Disney bid $20M, FIFA wants more. No World Cup broadcast in India?

India and China, the two most populous countries in the world, could miss out on the FIFA World Cup, starting June 11, due to a deadlock over broadcast rights.

According to reports, FIFA turned down an offer of $20 million made by a joint venture of Reliance and Disney for the rights in India. News agencies reported that Sony held talks with FIFA but has yet to make an offer.

A Reuters report said that FIFA sought $100 million for broadcast rights from India for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups. In 2022, a then-Reliance subsidiary secured the broadcast rights in India for $60 million.

In China, their national broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV), streamed the last two World Cups. In 2022, China accounted for 49.8% of all hours of global viewing on digital and social platforms.

The combined digital streaming reach for India and China accounted for 22.6%, while the share of global linear TV reach in 2022 was 17.7%, according to agencies.

It is understood that broadcasters in India are unwilling to spend the hefty sum they use for cricket due to the timing of the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches. As the tournament is being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, most of the matches will be aired past midnight in India, because of which the broadcasters fear low viewership.