Our Bureau
Mumbai
Indian football fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief as Zee Entertainment Enterprises announced that it has secured the broadcast rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in India. The announcement comes just 10 days before the tournament kicks off on June 11, ending months of uncertainty over whether the world’s biggest football event would be available to Indian audiences.
Zee Entertainment has signed an eight-year agreement with FIFA covering 39 FIFA soccer events from 2026 through 2034. This landmark deal includes not only the 2026 FIFA World Cup but also the 2030 World Cup, the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and several youth and futsal tournaments. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, though reports suggest FIFA initially sought nearly $100 million for the India broadcast package before reducing the asking price to around $60 million.
The 2026 World Cup will be telecast live on Zee’s newly launched Unite8 Sports network, featuring four linear sports channels: Unite8 Sports 1 and Unite8 Sports 1 HD in Hindi, and Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD in English. Fans can also see all matches live on Zee’s digital platform ZEE5. The tournament opener begins June 11, with the first match at Mexico City followed by Brazil against Morocco on June 13.
Following the announcement, Zee Entertainment shares rose approximately 7 percent. The agreement also includes FIFA-related docu-series content tailored for Indian audiences. This deal resolves a months-long deadlock that had left India as one of the world’s last major unsold markets for the tournament, with the co-hosted event taking place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
