FIFA secures Indian broadcast rights with Zee Entertainment in late-night deal
Zee Entertainment has acquired the rights to 39 FIFA tournaments, including the 2026 and 2030 Men’s World Cups, through 2034, following a significant reduction in FIFA’s asking price.
FIFA has finalised a broadcast agreement with India’s Zee Entertainment, securing the rights to air 39 tournaments through 2034. The package includes the 2026 and 2030 Men’s World Cups, the 2027 Women’s World Cup, and other major FIFA events. The deal concludes a protracted negotiation period, ending a months-long standoff over rights in one of the last major global markets where the broadcasting licence remained unsold.
While specific financial terms were not disclosed in the joint statement, reports indicate that FIFA reduced its initial asking price from $100 million to approximately $60 million. This valuation aligns with the figure reportedly paid by Viacom18 for the rights to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a tournament held in time zones more conducive to Indian viewing habits. Following the announcement, Zee Entertainment shares rose by approximately seven per cent.
The agreement was finalised ten days before the 2026 tournament commences on June 11 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The timing has drawn scrutiny due to the significant logistical challenge posed by the 10 to 12-hour time difference between South Asia and the host nations. Unlike previous editions in Russia and Qatar, where the vast majority of matches aired during prime time, the 2026 schedule will see only 14 of the 104 matches begin before midnight for Indian viewers.
The final match is scheduled for 19:00 GMT on July 19 in New Jersey, which corresponds to 12:30 am on July 20 in India. This stands in stark contrast to the 2018 World Cup, where 98.4 per cent of matches started before midnight, and the 2022 edition, where that figure was 82.5 per cent. Industry analysts have noted that these unfavourable broadcast slots dampened broadcaster appetite and complicated FIFA’s sales efforts in the region.
The deal provides Zee Entertainment with a strategic foothold in India’s sports broadcasting sector, which is currently dominated by the Reliance-Disney joint venture JioStar. JioStar holds rights to major properties including the Indian Premier League cricket tournament and the English Premier League. However, market experts suggest that traditional television is a struggling medium in India, with digital platforms now driving the primary monetisation for sporting events. Karan Taurani of Elara Capital noted that cricket’s dominance means only a small fraction of Indian Premier League viewers are likely to tune in for the World Cup, particularly those willing to watch late-night broadcasts.
