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The Delhi High Court connected Tuesday (May 12, 2026) asked the Centre and Prasar Bharati to respond to a petition seeking the broadcast of the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is scheduled to commence connected June 11.
The petition by Avdhesh Bairwa, a lawyer, sought directions to the Central authorities to get the broadcasting rights for the opening match, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the last successful favour of Prasar Bharati arsenic an interim measure. By mode of last relief, the petitioner sought that rights should beryllium acquired for each 104 matches.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued announcement connected the petition and listed it for proceeding connected May 20.
During the hearing, the tribunal asked the petitioner wherefore his plea should not beryllium treated arsenic a nationalist involvement litigation.
The elder counsel appearing for the petitioner argued that a national had the close to person entree to specified a telecast. While it was not an indefensible oregon implicit right, a “nudge” from the tribunal would “go a agelong way”, helium added.
The petition said the FIFA World Cup, which is held each 4 years, is 1 of the astir viewed sporting events successful the world, and historically, the lawsuit has had a commercialized broadcaster successful India for each variation since 1998.
However, nary broadcaster has acquired the broadcasting rights for the tourney successful India this year, depriving the petitioner of his cardinal close to person accusation and to entree the telecast of the event, the plea asserted.
“...Without timely judicial involution by this Hon’ble Court, the Petitioner and millions of Indian citizens volition beryllium irreparably deprived of their cardinal rights with nary capable alternate remedy,” the petition said.
The FIFA World Cup is being held from June 11 to July 19 successful the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
