FIFA World Cup 2026 telecast row reaches Delhi High Court, Doordarshan asked to respond

With less than a month remaining before the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, uncertainty continues to surround how fans in India will watch the tournament.

The issue has now reached the Delhi High Court, which on Monday sought responses from the Centre and Prasar Bharati over a petition demanding that the World Cup be made available through public broadcasters such as Doordarshan and DD Sports.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued notice while hearing a writ petition filed by advocate Avdhesh Bairwa under Article 226 of the Constitution. The plea argued that despite the tournament beginning on June 11, no broadcaster has officially secured the Indian media rights, creating fears that millions of football fans could be left without access to the event.

The petition highlighted that the FIFA World Cup has already been recognised as a “sporting event of national importance” under the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007. According to the plea, this places a responsibility on authorities to ensure that the tournament remains accessible to the public through free-to-air platforms.

The case has gained additional attention because of India’s growing football audience. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, India reportedly emerged as one of FIFA’s largest engagement markets despite the national team not participating in the tournament. The plea further stated that Prasar Bharati already has the infrastructure needed to telecast the competition through DD Sports, DD Free Dish and the WAVES OTT platform.

The petitioner also argued that denying access to the World Cup would impact citizens’ rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(a) and 21 of the Constitution, including the right to information through public broadcasting services.

WHY FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 STILL HAS NO INDIA BROADCASTER
The ongoing uncertainty is largely linked to the financial negotiations surrounding the tournament’s media rights in India.

According to reports cited in the petition, FIFA had initially valued the India broadcast package for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups at nearly USD 100 million. Following limited interest from broadcasters, that valuation was reportedly reduced to around USD 35 million. Despite the reduction, no broadcaster has finalised a deal so far.

The timing of matches has also complicated negotiations. Since the tournament will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, most games are expected to air late at night or early in the morning in India. That has raised concerns over advertising revenue and television viewership for broadcasters already investing heavily in cricket properties.

India’s sports broadcasting landscape has also shifted significantly in recent years, with companies becoming more selective about high-value rights acquisitions outside cricket. As a result, one of the world’s biggest sporting events still remains without a confirmed broadcaster in India just weeks before kickoff.

WILL INDIAN FANS BE ABLE TO WATCH THE WORLD CUP?
Despite the ongoing uncertainty, officials within Indian football remain optimistic that a resolution will eventually be reached.

All India Football Federation Deputy General Secretary M Satyanarayan recently said that India’s enormous audience makes it difficult for FIFA and broadcasters to overlook the market entirely. However, the federation clarified that it has no direct role in commercial rights negotiations and can only oversee football administration in the country.

The AIFF also pointed to India’s rapidly growing football fanbase, noting that Indian supporters formed one of the largest travelling groups among nations that did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

For now, though, fans remain in limbo. With the opening match approaching quickly, the time available for promotion, scheduling and technical preparations continues to shrink. Even so, there remains a strong expectation within Indian football circles that FIFA and broadcasters will eventually find a compromise rather than risk leaving one of the world’s largest sports audiences without access to the tournament.