New Delhi: In a major development for football fans in India, FIFA has signed an eight-year media rights agreement with Zee Entertainment, granting the broadcaster rights to air several FIFA tournaments. The deal also includes the broadcast rights for 2026 and 2030 FIFA World Cups. The deal ends months of uncertainty over the availability of football’s biggest tournament in one of the world’s largest media markets.
The agreement was announced just days before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to kick off on June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed by either party.
According to a joint statement from FIFA and Zee, the partnership covers 39 FIFA events over the next eight years. The deal marks one of Zee’s biggest moves into sports broadcasting and strengthens its presence in a market largely dominated by JioStar, the Reliance-Disney joint venture.
The rights negotiations had remained unresolved for months. FIFA had initially sought around $100 million for the Indian rights package covering the 2026 and 2030 World Cups before reportedly lowering its expectations. JioStar, which broadcast the 2022 World Cup through its predecessor Viacom18, is reported to have made a significantly lower bid that was rejected by FIFA. Sony also held discussions but did not submit a final offer.
The acquisition aligns with Zee’s recent efforts to expand its sports portfolio. Last week, the company launched its new sports broadcasting venture, Unite8 Sports, and disclosed that it was in discussions with FIFA for the World Cup rights.
The 2026 tournament presents unique challenges for broadcasters in India, as matches hosted in North America will largely be played during late-night and early-morning hours in the country. Industry observers had cited these time-zone differences as a factor affecting broadcaster interest in the rights package.
