With just 37 days left for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to begin, there remains no clarity for Indian football on whether they will be able to watch the mega event or which platform they will have to use. FIFA is yet to sell the broadcasting rights for the tournament in India.
A report by Reuters has revealed that the world's football governing body rejected a bid from Jiostar (Reliance-Disney's joint venture) for $20 million (₹190.4 crore approx. as per today's exchange rate). The published information also states that Sony held talks but did not make an offer.
It has been reported that FIFA was initially looking for a $100 million (₹950 crore approx. as per today's exchange rate) deal for the 2026 and 2030 editions of the tournament. In the 2022 edition, which took place in Qatar, Viacom18 (Reliance's sole venture) had purchased the rights for $60 million (₹570 crores approx. as per today's exchange rate). It is now believed FIFA has reduced their demands and asking for the same figure as what they got in 2022.
"FIFA is looking for a similar amount for this edition of the tournament," a FIFA source told Reuters.
This means that with the tournament about a month away, there still remains a valuation gap of $40 million (₹380 crores approx as per today's exchange rate between what the lead broadcaster has offered in the country and what FIFA is demanding.
Broadcasters Not Keen On FIFA World Cup Rights In India
Essentially, it has emerged that FIFA's asking price is not acceptable to Indian broadcasters. Several experts and reports have claimed that commercially the tournament will not a money-making venture in a country like India.
A key reason behind the lack of demand is the timing of the matches. The tournament is set to take place. in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, which means that matches are scheduled to take place either late at night or early in the morning, which will lead to a reduction in viewership. In a cricket-dominant country like India, football remains a niche segment with not a huge fanbase either.
FIFA is yet to agree to a broadcasting deal in China too, which means the 2026 FIFA World Cup is without a broadcaster in the world's two most populous nations. Like India, even China's football team has not qualified for the mega event. While the Indian football team has never played the event, China has featured just once (2002).
As per the Reuters reports, 'China accounted for 17.7% and India 2.9% of the global linear TV reach of the 2022 tournament.' Meanwhile, 22.6% of the total digital global streaming reach came from the two neighboring countries.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
