India Finally Gets FIFA World Cup Broadcaster, Zee Secures Much-Anticipated Telecast Rights

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd has bagged the telecast rights for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, the company has confirmed. ZEE has signed an eight-year deal which will also grant them access to telecast other FIFA tournaments in India.

Punit Goenka, CEO of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, said, "We are excited to bring one of the world's biggest sporting spectacles to Indian audiences. Football cuts across regions and demographics, and the investments in garnering the media rights and launching dedicated sports channels reflect our clear belief in its long-term potential."

"The Indian market is of strategic importance for FIFA as it displays immense potential driven by a young and passionate audience," Romy Gai, FIFA's chief business officer, added.

Which Tournaments Will Be A Part Of The Deal?

As per the contract, 39 FIFA Events will be covered, including the FIFA Men's and Women's U-17 World Cups (2026-2034), FIFA U-20 Men's and Women's World Cups, FIFA Futsal Men's and Women's World Cups, and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

FIFA reportedly was looking for the rights to the tune of $100 million for the India telecast rights. But instead, they got a $20 million offer despite the price being slashed to $60 million. The agreement has been signed just 10 days prior of the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico this year. Financial details of the ZEE-FIFA agreement have not been revealed.

This will be the first time 48 teams will compete in the FIFA World Cup. The previous broadcaster, Sony, reportedly didn't participate in the bidding process for the telecast rights.

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