FIFA team likely to visit India to resolve World Cup broadcast deadlock
As of May 18, India does not have broadcast rights to host FIFA World Cup 2026, starting June 11.
As of May 18, India does not have broadcast rights to host FIFA World Cup 2026, starting June 11.
As of May 18, India does not have broadcast rights to host FIFA World Cup 2026, starting June 11.
According to news agencies, FIFA’s media rights officials are visiting India this week to sort out the World Cup broadcast deadlock in the country, with the event less than a month away.
India does not have broadcast rights to the greatest sporting event, which starts June 11, while China recently signed a deal. The China Media Group reportedly struck a bargain with a $60 million deal to broadcast all 104 matches of the World Cup.
It is understood that FIFA granted Beijing an 80% discount to resolve the matter, as China accounted for 49.8% of all global viewing hours of the 2022 World Cup. Indian broadcasters are expected to be playing the same waiting game.
FIFA had initially sought a $100 million deal for India, but later reduced it to $60 million. However, the best offer made from India was $20 million by a joint venture between Reliance and Disney. News agency Reuters said it wasn’t clear if the FIFA media rights team would meet with Reliance-Disney.
Reuters said that FIFA has concluded agreements with broadcasters in over 180 territories and discussions in India regarding the sale of media rights were ongoing and "must remain confidential at this stage". According to a 2024 report from Deloitte and Google (as reported by Reuters), India has 85 million football fans.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico with 48 nations participating.