India's Zee Entertainment has landed a broadcast deal with FIFA for the upcoming World Cups. The agreement,finalized Monday, lets Zee air the 2026 and 2030 World Cups,the 2027 Women's World Cup, and 36 other FIFA events through 2034. Financial terms aren't public,but reports say FIFA initially wanted around $100 million for the rights before dropping the price to about $60 million.
This deal comes just days before the 2026 tournament kicks off on June 11 across the U.S.,Canada,and Mexico. The timing is key, as FIFA has been trying to wrap up broadcasting rights in one of the last big markets still open. Shares of Zee jumped about 7 percent after announcement,showing investor enthusiasm for the deal.
But challenges lie ahead for Zee. Experts warn that match scheduling is a tough obstacle for Indian broadcasters. With a 10 to 12-hour time difference between the host cities and India, most matches will air at awkward hours. Only 14 of 104 World Cup games will start before midnight for Indian fans. The final match on July 19 in New Jersey kicks off at 19:00 GMT, which means 12:30 AM on July 20 in India .
Karan Taurani,executive vice president at Elara Capital,pointed out that India's television landscape is struggling, especially for events like FIFA World Cup. He noted that digital platforms are taking over the sports broadcasting scene,making traditional TV rights less attractive . “When you have these kinds of sporting events,effectively it is mostly digital that is monetising and raising big money,” Taurani said.
He added that cricket remains the powerhouse in India's sports economy,with most viewers flocking to Indian Premier League (IPL). “Only a small fraction of people who watch the IPL will watch the FIFA World Cup,” he said, stressing the difficulty of drawing late-night viewers for the tournament.
In comparison, Viacom18 had previously secured the rights for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for about $60 million,benefiting from better time zones for Indian viewers. This year's World Cup,however, is a different story,with many matches scheduled late at night, dampening broadcaster interest and complicating FIFA's efforts to sell the rights.
