Indian football fans are facing uncertainty over access to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as media rights for the tournament remain unsold. With the opening match scheduled for June 11, just two months away, broadcasters are yet to secure the rights, raising concerns about the availability of live coverage in India.
The media rights sale process began in June 2025, but no buyers emerged. Reports from the Economic Times reveal that FIFA initially valued the combined media rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups at $100 million. Due to limited interest, that asking price was lowered to $35 million. Despite the significant price reduction, broadcasters have shown little enthusiasm for acquiring the rights.
FIFA WORLD CUP 2026: FULL REPORT
In comparison, Viacom18 secured the broadcast rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar for $62 million (Rs 450 crore). Replication of such a trade appears unlikely in the current market environment.
The decline in interest is attributed to several factors, starting with reduced competition following the merger of Star India and Viacom18 into JioStar. This consolidation has reduced the number of major players in sports broadcasting. According to the Economic Times, broadcasters such as Sony Sports, Eurosport and FanCode are reluctant to commit to high-value deals.
Another significant factor is the dominance of cricket in Indian sports broadcasting budgets. Broadcasters have already invested heavily in securing cricket media rights from the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India. This financial commitment limits their ability to run expensive non-cricket activities such as the FIFA World Cup.
Business considerations further complicate the situation. Football offers fewer opportunities for commercial breaks compared to cricket, limiting the revenue potential for broadcasters. Additionally, the location of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico means that matches will be telecast late at night or in the early hours of the morning for Indian viewers. This timing issue is expected to reduce live viewership and impact ad returns.
These combined factors contribute to the reluctance of broadcasters to invest in media rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Thus, Indian audiences may struggle to access live coverage of the tournament.
In short, the unsold media rights reflect broader structural shifts in Indian sports broadcasting, characterized by market consolidation, cricket’s commercial dominance and heavy scheduling of international football events. With the tournament approaching, the situation remains unresolved.
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Published on:
09 Apr 2026 20:53 IST
