Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises is nearing a deal to acquire India media rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after JioStar exited the race, likely ending uncertainty over the tournament's broadcast and streaming availability in the country. Negotiations are still underway and an agreement is expected to be signed soon, people familiar with the matter said.
In an exchange filing on Tuesday, Zee confirmed it is in talks with Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to broadcast and stream the world cup in India as part of its efforts to "build a competitive sports content offering." Financial details of the proposed deal could not be immediately ascertained.
Also read: FIFA World Cup 2026 revenues set to top $6 billion even as India rights deal remains pending
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
People aware of the negotiations said JioStar had made a final offer of about $15 million before backing out, citing the narrow window between the signing of the agreement and the start of the tournament, leaving limited time for monetisation.
While football enjoys a sizeable audience base in India, drawing nearly 300 million television and digital viewers in 2025, it remains a niche advertising property compared with cricket and offers lower advertising inventory.
Industry executives had said any bid exceeding $10-15 million would amount to overpaying, given the limited monetisation opportunity.
Also read: India to play two friendlies against Tajikistan during June FIFA window
The time-zone difference for matches in North America is expected to weigh on viewership and advertising revenues, they noted. Also, advertiser sentiment is cautious amid economic uncertainty linked to geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
The development marks a major push by Zee to rebuild and expand sports business at a time when broadcasters are increasingly pursuing premium live sports content to drive audience engagement and advertising revenues.
In an exchange filing on Tuesday, Zee confirmed it is in talks with Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to broadcast and stream the world cup in India as part of its efforts to "build a competitive sports content offering." Financial details of the proposed deal could not be immediately ascertained.
Also read: FIFA World Cup 2026 revenues set to top $6 billion even as India rights deal remains pending
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
People aware of the negotiations said JioStar had made a final offer of about $15 million before backing out, citing the narrow window between the signing of the agreement and the start of the tournament, leaving limited time for monetisation.
While football enjoys a sizeable audience base in India, drawing nearly 300 million television and digital viewers in 2025, it remains a niche advertising property compared with cricket and offers lower advertising inventory.
Industry executives had said any bid exceeding $10-15 million would amount to overpaying, given the limited monetisation opportunity.
Also read: India to play two friendlies against Tajikistan during June FIFA window
The time-zone difference for matches in North America is expected to weigh on viewership and advertising revenues, they noted. Also, advertiser sentiment is cautious amid economic uncertainty linked to geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
The development marks a major push by Zee to rebuild and expand sports business at a time when broadcasters are increasingly pursuing premium live sports content to drive audience engagement and advertising revenues.
