No sleep, no power: Indian fans hit by broadcast glitches on Day 1 of World Cup

ByTech Word News

Indian football fans looking forward to a hassle-free midnight kick-off were left deeply frustrated as widespread technical glitches and controversial pricing structures marred the debut of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Zee5. Furious viewers took to social media to express their anger at the poor start to the tournament live, turning what was supposed to be a festive opening match between Mexico and South Africa into a night of digital grievances.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off with Mexico taking on South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca, Zee5 faced a barrage of criticism from subscribers across social media for a series of technical and service-related issues.

FIFA WORLD CUP 2026: LIVE UPDATES | FULL COVERAGE

Frustration began to build even before the ball was kicked. Days before the start of the tournament, several users noticed that the Zee5 Rs 799 FIFA World Cup pack appeared to have limited multi-device access from three screens to a single device for some early subscribers. After a strong online response, the platform restored the initially promised access for three devices.

However, the complaints did not end there.

As viewers tuned in for the opening ceremony and first match, many reported issues including delayed streams, server freezes, login issues and inconsistent video quality. Several users also questioned why the promised 4K streaming option was not available despite promotional materials emphasizing a better viewing experience.

Prices also became a topic of discussion. Some users questioned the price of the Rs 799 subscription, claiming that many football fans were buying the service solely for the World Cup and not for Zee5’s wider content library.

Criticism further intensified when several viewers reported outages and app crashes around the kickoff.

WHAT IS GOING ON LIVE STREAMING OF FIFA WORLD 2026 IN INDIA?

Based on complaints posted on social media during the opening night, fans reported various issues when trying to watch the tournament.

Some of the most common complaints included:

  • Freezing or saving streams during live matches.
  • Problems logging in and accessing your account.
  • Temporary server outages around the dig.
  • Absence of the expected 4K streaming capability.
  • Confusion about device limits for premium subscribers.
  • Concerns over the cost of a dedicated FIFA World Cup package.

While it didn’t seem to affect every subscriber, the number of complaints quickly made streaming one of the biggest talking points among Indian football fans during the opening day of the tournament.

HOW TO SOLVE LIVE STREAMING OF FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 IN INDIA?

As complaints flooded social media during the opening night of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Zee5 also responded by sharing a number of troubleshooting measures to help viewers improve their streaming experience.

  • Smart TVs and streaming devices: Go directly to your TV’s primary app settings, find the Zee5 app icon and launch “Clear cache and data”. In case of severe and persistent lag, completely uninstall and reinstall the app to force download the latest optimized tournament build.
  • Web browsers: If you’re watching on a computer or laptop, clear your browser cookies and browsing history completely for “all time”. Make sure you’re using the latest version of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Safari, and temporarily disable any active ad blockers or custom DNS settings that might block the video player from initializing.
  • Fix Screen Limits: For subscribers whose accounts are still incorrectly showing single device lockout, please log out of all active sessions on your hardware and log in again, as the backend recovery fix requires a clean session restart to recognize premium three-screen permissions.

This high-stakes streaming rollout follows a historic acquisition of broadcast rights in the region. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) officially established an extensive eight-year partnership with world football governing body FIFA serving as the exclusive broadcast home for all its major tournaments in the Indian market. Under this long-term media rights agreement, ZEE is slated to broadcast 39 global football events by 2034, ensuring comprehensive digital and linear tournament coverage for Indian fans even after the end of the flagship 2026.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

12 Jun 2026 02:59 IST