Zee Entertainment Enterprises has secured the media rights for a slate of FIFA events in India through 2034, including the FIFA World Cup 2026, FIFA World Cup 2030 and FIFA Women's World Cup 2027, marking one of the company's biggest bets yet in the sports broadcasting space, the media giant said on Monday.
Under the partnership with FIFA, Zee will bring 39 global football events to Indian audiences over the next eight years across its television and digital platforms. The rights package includes the FIFA Men's U-17 World Cup, FIFA Women's U-17 World Cup, FIFA U-20 Men's and Women's World Cups, FIFA Futsal World Cups and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, along with documentary content linked to these tournaments.
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Zee's acquisition follows a lengthy bidding process for the marquee football properties. FIFA had initially sought around $100 million for the India broadcast rights to the 2026 and 2030 World Cups, before lowering its expectations to at least $60 million, according to a Reuters report.
The company said the football coverage will begin with the FIFA World Cup 2026, which kicks off on June 11, 2026. Matches will be broadcast across Zee's newly launched sports network, comprising Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD, while streaming will be available on Zee5.
The move is part of Zee's broader strategy to build a diversified sports portfolio and strengthen subscriber and advertising revenues across its television and digital businesses. The company said football presents a significant long-term opportunity in India, where interest in global sporting events continues to grow.
"We are excited to bring one of the world's biggest sporting spectacles to Indian audiences. 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," CEO Punit Goenka said.
Romy Gai, FIFA's Chief Business Officer, said India remains a strategically important market for the global football body due to its young audience and growing interest in the sport. He added that Zee's broadcast and digital reach would help expand football's footprint across the country.
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The partnership is expected to bolster Zee's presence in the sports broadcasting market, where media companies are increasingly seeking premium live sports rights to drive audience engagement and advertising growth.
Several broadcasters, including JioStar and Zee Entertainment Enterprises, were in discussions for the rights package, while Sony and FanCode stayed away from the bidding process.
One of the key challenges for broadcasters has been the tournament timing, with most of the 104 matches expected to be played between midnight and 6 am IST, making it a difficult property for advertisers in the Indian market.
The uncertainty around the broadcast rights had also reached the courts earlier this month, when the Delhi High Court issued notices to the Centre and Prasar Bharati on a petition seeking directions to ensure the tournament remained accessible to viewers in India through public broadcasting platforms such as Doordarshan and DD Sports.
The petition argued that the FIFA World Cup had already been notified as a sporting event of national importance under the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007.
The 2026 edition will be the first FIFA World Cup to feature 48 teams and 104 matches. The previous edition in Qatar in 2022, won by the Argentina national football team led by Lionel Messi, was streamed in India on JioCinema and broadcast on Sports18.
