With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off on June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, Indian football fans are facing an unprecedented situation, there is still no confirmed broadcaster for the tournament in the country.
FIFA has already completed deals in more than 175 territories worldwide, but negotiations in India remain ongoing with less than six weeks left before kickoff. At the centre of the impasse in India is a widening gap between FIFA's valuation expectations and what broadcasters believe the tournament is commercially worth in the current market.
According to Reuters, FIFA initially sought close to $100 million for the combined India media rights package for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups before lowering expectations significantly. JioStar, formed through the Reliance-Disney merger, reportedly offered around $20 million for the 2026 edition, but the bid was rejected.
The unusual situation means the World Cup currently has no official television or streaming partner in India despite being one of the world's most-watched sports events.
The rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar were reportedly acquired by Viacom18 for $60 million and marked a major shift in India's sports broadcasting landscape. JioCinema provided free live streaming in India on its mobile app and website, while broadcasting matches on Sports18.
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That tournament proved to be a breakthrough moment for digital football consumption in India. JioCinema recorded more than 110 million digital viewers during the tournament, with the Argentina vs France final alone drawing 32 million viewers.
However, since the merger between Viacom18 and Disney Star, JioStar now controls a dominant share of India's sports broadcasting ecosystem, giving it far greater negotiating leverage in rights discussions. At the same time, rival broadcasters have shown limited appetite to aggressively challenge FIFA's pricing. Reuters reported that Sony explored the possibility of bidding but eventually decided against making a formal offer.
Why Are Broadcasters Hesitant?
The biggest issue is timing. Unlike Qatar 2022, which aligned well with Indian prime-time viewing hours, the 2026 World Cup will be played almost entirely in North American time zones. Most matches are expected to begin late at night or in the early hours of the morning in India. That creates significant uncertainty around television ratings and advertising returns.
Broadcasters are also dealing with an increasingly crowded sports calendar dominated by expensive cricket rights commitments and changes in advertising regulations, including restrictions on real-money gaming advertisements.
Football also offers fewer natural advertising breaks compared to cricket, making it structurally harder for networks to maximise revenue during live matches.
Can DD Sports Step In?
Speculation around DD Sports and Prasar Bharati has intensified in recent days as the stalemate continues. Reports suggest that Prasar Bharati has held exploratory discussions with FIFA as a fallback option if commercial negotiations with private broadcasters fail.
The possibility is not entirely unrealistic. DD Sports had previously sub-licensed the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023, and as a public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati operates under a different commercial framework compared to private networks.
Because DD Sports is free-to-air, it could guarantee nationwide accessibility even if advertising returns remain limited. However, there are still major practical hurdles.
A World Cup involving 104 matches across multiple simultaneous time slots would require significant production, distribution and promotional investment. DD Sports also does not possess the same large-scale digital streaming infrastructure as JioHotstar, which has become central to modern sports consumption in India.
Industry expectations, therefore, still point toward a late compromise between FIFA and JioStar rather than a full DD Sports takeover.
What Happens Next?
At present, the most likely outcome remains a negotiated settlement between FIFA and JioStar. Multiple reports indicate that discussions are continuing behind the scenes, with FIFA increasingly under pressure as every passing week reduces broadcasters' ability to market the tournament and sell advertising inventory effectively.
A revised deal in the range of $15 million to $20 million is widely viewed as the probable middle ground. For now, though, the situation remains unresolved, which is an extraordinary scenario for a tournament of this scale.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest in history, featuring 48 teams, 104 matches and three host nations. Yet with the countdown rapidly shrinking, Indian fans still do not officially know where they will watch the world's biggest football stars on the sport's grandest stage.
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