Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
India’s Zee Entertainment Enterprises is in talks with FIFA to acquire the streaming and broadcast rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in India, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
The move comes at a significant moment for the Indian sports broadcasting market, with negotiations between FIFA and the Reliance-Disney joint venture currently at a deadlock, just weeks before the tournament is scheduled to begin on June 11, 2026.
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FIFA had initially sought close to $100 million for the India rights package covering both the 2026 and 2030 FIFA World Cups. Reuters had earlier reported that the global football body later lowered its expectations and was seeking no less than around $60 million for the deal.
The revised valuation still remains substantially higher than the reported $20 million offer made by the Reliance-Disney combine, led by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries.
Japan’s Sony Group Corporation had also explored the possibility of bidding for the India rights. However, Sony eventually chose not to make a formal offer for the FIFA package.
Zee disclosed its discussions with FIFA during the launch of “Unite8 Sports”, a dedicated portfolio of sports channels that the company said would strengthen its sports offerings and expand its reach among Indian audiences.
The broadcaster has been looking to grow its sports business amid rising competition in India’s media and streaming market, where premium sporting properties continue to play a major role in subscriber growth and advertising revenues.
FIFA had previously said that it had already concluded broadcast agreements across more than 180 territories globally, though the India rights remain unresolved despite the country’s rapidly expanding digital sports audience and increasing interest in football.
India accounted for 2.9 per cent of the global linear television reach of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, underlining the market’s growing importance for international football broadcasters and rights holders.
If Zee succeeds in securing the rights, the acquisition would mark one of the company’s biggest moves in sports broadcasting and significantly strengthen its position in India’s competitive sports media landscape.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
