No Broadcaster For FIFA World Cup 2026 In India Yet; Prasar Bharti Takes Big Decision
Indian fans have already begun special preparations for FIFA World Cup 2026. However, a major concern remains unresolved - which broadcaster will telecast the matches in India on television?
- There is still no official broadcaster for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India
- Prasar Bharati told the Delhi High Court that securing the broadcasting rights is not its responsibility
- This stance has further increased anxiety among Indian football fans ahead of the global event
After the IPL, Indian sports fans gear up to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026. Fans have already begun special preparations for the mega event, which starts on June 12 (IST). However, a major concern remains unresolved - which broadcaster will telecast the matches in India on television? So far, no broadcaster has been finalised for the FIFA World Cup in the cricket-crazy nation. This uncertainty persists even though the tournament begins in just three weeks, and millions of Indians traditionally follow the event closely.
Prasar Bharati also distances itself
According to the latest reports, Prasar Bharati has told the Delhi High Court that securing the FIFA World Cup broadcasting rights in India is not its responsibility. This stance has further increased anxiety among Indian football fans ahead of the world's biggest football event.
With only about three weeks left before the FIFA World Cup 2026 begins on June 12 (IST), Indian football fans still do not know where they will be able to watch the tournament. Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has, in effect, officially stepped away from the broadcasting race. It informed the Delhi High Court that it is not responsible for acquiring the rights to broadcast the FIFA World Cup in India. As a result, both traditional football lovers and Gen Z audiences remain uncertain about how they will follow the tournament.
Once the IPL ends, Indian sports fans will continue getting their cricket dose through the India vs Afghanistan series. But at the same time, Indian fans - like football lovers across the world - will also immerse themselves in World Cup fever.
India's FIFA ranking beyond 135
Football in India obviously does not enjoy the same popularity as cricket. India's FIFA rankings stand at 136 in men's football and 69 in women's football, and the country has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup. Yet, every World Cup season brings around a month and a half of football frenzy across the nation.
Not only in Goa, Kerala, Karnataka, Kolkata, and Punjab, but across the entire country, the excitement surrounding football becomes clearly visible.
48 teams and more than 100 matches
This FIFA World Cup will be unique in several ways. For the first time, the world's biggest football tournament will be hosted across 16 cities in three countries - Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The tournament, running from June 12 (IST) to July 20 (IST), will also feature 48 teams for the first time instead of the earlier 32.
For decades, Indian football fans have enjoyed watching FIFA World Cup matches on television. But surprisingly, FIFA has still not been able to finalize a broadcaster for India this time.
This situation is even more surprising considering that during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, around 745 million viewers across platforms watched the tournament in India. Only China had a larger football audience. In fact, India consistently ranks among the top 10 countries globally in television viewership for the FIFA World Cup, with nearly 84 million TV viewers.
Last time, JioCinema reportedly spent around $60 million for digital streaming rights of the FIFA World Cup in India. FIFA had expected to earn nearly $100 million (around INR 965 crore) from the Indian market. However, football streaming revenues in India are not very high. Even the English Premier League, despite being popular among Gen Z viewers, reportedly earns less than INR 1,500 crore in the country.
Matches to be played at midnight
According to experts, one major reason why the media rights have still not been sold in India is the match timing in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For example, the FIFA World Cup final on July 20 (IST) is expected to begin at around 12:30 AM Indian time. Watching matches at such late hours may not be convenient for Indian audiences.
Out of the tournament's 104 matches (including 72 league matches and 32 knockout games), only 14 matches are expected to begin before midnight India time.