The long uncertainty and speculation over India’s broadcast of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 has come to an end. Former All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary Shaji Prabhakaran has claimed that talks over World Cup broadcast rights are finally coming to a successful conclusion and the name of the broadcast partner for India could be announced next week.
Prabhakaran reassured football fans in a post on social media ‘X’ noting that after months of worry and uncertainty, fans can now breathe a sigh of relief as the entire World Cup will be fully available in India. The event will be held in the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11 (12:30 PM IST). With the tournament less than three weeks away, no broadcaster has secured media rights for the Indian market.
Earlier, the issue of World Cup broadcast in India reached the Delhi High Court. In a hearing before a bench of Justice Purushendra Kumar Kaur, Prasar Bharti made it clear that it was not responsible for acquiring the broadcast rights of the tournament. In a petition filed by advocate Abdhesh Bairwa, the court sought a direction to telecast all important matches from the opening match to the final on Doordarshan or DD Sports for the convenience of the people of the country. However, at the hearing on May 19, the applicant withdrew the present application with leave to approach another court seeking appropriate relief at a later date.
According to data submitted to the court, India has the second largest football fan base in the world. Although India did not participate in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Indians generated around 745.7 million digital engagements during the tournament. Despite this huge popularity, sources said the deal was delayed in the Indian market due to the high cost of broadcast rights. According to reports, FIFA initially valued the Indian rights at around $100 million as part of a package linked to the 2030 World Cup but later reduced it to $35 million due to poor market response. FIFA rejects Jio Star’s $20 million offer in court
The final broadcast deal is expected to be signed next week. The official announcement is expected to pave the way for millions of sports fans in the country to enjoy the exciting matches of the upcoming FIFA World Cup at home.