Zee Secures Rights to FIFA World Cup 2026 And 38 Other Events

Zee Entertainment announced on Monday that it has acquired the media rights to 39 FIFA events, including the FIFA World Cup 2026, FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 and FIFA World Cup 2030. The deal will see Zee broadcast FIFA tournaments in India from 2026 through 2034, adding some of football's biggest competitions to its growing sports lineup. Zee's FIFA coverage will begin on June 11, 2026, when the FIFA World Cup kicks off in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The tournament will be shown across Zee's Unite8 Sports channels and streamed on Zee5.

Along with live matches, viewers will have access to highlights, analysis programmes, special features and FIFA documentary content throughout the tournament cycle.

Betting Big on Football

The FIFA rights deal comes as Zee expands its presence in sports broadcasting with the launch of its Unite8 Sports network.

"We are excited to bring one of the world's biggest sporting spectacles to Indian audiences," said ZEEL CEO Punit Goenka.

"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.

"Our approach has been to invest in properties where we see current relevance and future growth potential."

Football has seen a steady rise in viewership in India over the past decade, driven by global tournaments, European club competitions and a growing digital audience. Here are the competitions that will be broadcast on Unite8 Sports Network

Earlier this year, Zee announced four sports channels under the Unite8 brand:

- Unite8 Sports 1 (Hindi)

- Unite8 Sports 1 HD (Hindi)

- Unite8 Sports 2 (English)

- Unite8 Sports 2 HD (English)

The channels will serve as the home of FIFA tournaments in India, starting with the 2026 World Cup and continuing through a packed calendar of international football events over the next eight years.

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