Zee Entertainment Enterprises eyes FIFA World Cup broadcast rights for India

India’s Zee Entertainment Enterprises is in discussions with FIFA to secure the television.

And digital streaming rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in India, marking a potentially major shift in the country’s sports broadcasting landscape.

The talks come at a crucial stage, with negotiations between FIFA and the Reliance-Disney joint venture reportedly failing to reach an agreement ahead of the tournament, which is scheduled to begin on June 11, 2026.

FIFA had initially valued the India media rights package for both the 2026 and 2030 World Cups at close to $100 million. However, reports suggested the governing body later reduced its expectations and was willing to consider offers starting around $60 million.

That figure still remained well above the reported bid of nearly $20 million submitted by the Reliance-Disney combine led by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries.

Japan’s Sony Group Corporation had also explored entering the race for the India rights but ultimately decided against submitting a formal bid.

Zee confirmed its ongoing discussions with FIFA while unveiling “Unite8 Sports”, a new portfolio of sports channels aimed at strengthening the company’s presence in India’s rapidly evolving sports media sector.

The broadcaster has been aggressively looking to expand its sports business as competition intensifies in India’s television and streaming industry, where premium sports properties continue to drive subscriptions, viewership and advertising revenue.

FIFA had earlier announced that broadcast partnerships for the 2026 tournament had already been finalised in more than 180 territories worldwide. However, the India rights remain unresolved despite the country emerging as one of the fastest-growing digital sports markets globally.

India contributed nearly 2.9 per cent of the global linear television audience during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, highlighting the increasing commercial importance of the Indian market for global football broadcasters.

If Zee successfully acquires the FIFA World Cup rights, the deal would represent one of the company’s most significant investments in sports broadcasting and could substantially boost its standing in India’s competitive media landscape.