Panaji: FIFA has finalized an eight-year agreement with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (Z) for the broadcast rights of 39 global football events in India. This landmark deal includes the FIFA World Cup 2026, the FIFA World Cup 2030, and the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027. The announcement comes just ten days before the FIFA World Cup is set to kick off across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, ending months of uncertainty for Indian viewers.
Broadcast Details and Multi-Language Coverage
Under this agreement, Indian audiences will be able to watch the world's biggest sporting spectacle on the linear television channel Unite8 Sports and the digital platform Zee 5. The coverage will be available in multiple languages, ensuring accessibility for a diverse audience.
FIFA's Strategic Focus on India
Romy Gai, FIFA's Chief Business Officer, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, "The FIFA World Cup is the greatest show on earth, and we are glad to partner with Z for the first time, to bring this global spectacle to India. The Indian market is of strategic importance for FIFA as it displays immense potential driven by a young and passionate audience." While the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, an official told TOI that "FIFA is happy with the deal."
FIFA has consistently emphasized India's importance as a market and was not willing to sell the rights at a discounted price. Reliance-Disney's joint venture JioStar had expressed interest, but Sony did not submit a bid. Zee managed to convince FIFA officials during a visit to the country last week that they were the best partner for this venture.
Zee's Commitment to Indian Football
In a statement released on Monday, Zee said, "Z is reigniting the spark to nurture the sport and motivate the youth to bring the lost glory back to our nation, by enabling access to key football action across every household across the country. We are certain that the concerted action being taken for the sport will result in India regaining its glory once again on global stages like Olympics and FIFA World Cup." Notably, Zee was the first company to acquire the commercial rights of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 2004, and this reference to Indian football's past and present is significant. The media rights for Indian football competitions are expected to be up for grabs in the coming months.
India's Football Landscape and Global Reach
India, currently ranked a lowly 137th in the world, was knocked out in the first round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The upcoming tournament will feature 48 nations for the first time. With this deal, FIFA now has broadcast agreements in place for 185 territories. This announcement comes just over two weeks after FIFA partnered with CCTV for broadcast in China. With India secured, Thailand remains the only major market without a broadcaster.
According to FIFA's global engagement and audience report for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Asia and Oceania accounted for 53% of total media engagement, with India contributing 745.7 million views, second only to China. India also recorded the highest growth in social media followers, followed by Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Brazil.
