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Zee Entertainment said connected Monday (June 1, 2026) it had secured the rights to broadcast the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 38 different FIFA events done 2034, ending a months-long standoff implicit the tournament's availability successful 1 of the world's past unsold major markets.
Financial presumption were not disclosed. FIFA had initially sought astir $100 million for the India bundle covering the 2026 and 2030 World Cups earlier slashing its asking price to $60 million, Reuters previously reported.
The statement comes conscionable 10 days earlier the tourney kicks disconnected connected June 11 crossed the United States, Canada and Mexico.
India's ascendant sports broadcaster JioStar, the Reliance-Disney associated task that aired the 2022 World Cup done its predecessor Viacom18, had offered astir $20 cardinal for the rights but was rejected by FIFA, Reuters previously reported.
Sony, which held rights for the 2014 and 2018 tournaments, held discussions but did not bid.
Court case
With nary broadcaster acquiring the broadcasting rights for months, the Delhi High Court connected May 12, 2026, had asked the Centre and Prasar Bharati to respond to a petition seeking the broadcast of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The petition by Avdhesh Bairwa, a lawyer, sought directions to the Central authorities to get the broadcasting rights for the opening match, quarterfinals, semifinals, 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.
FIFA has concluded agreements with broadcasters successful much than 180 territories globally, it said previously. India accounted for 2.9% of the planetary linear TV scope of the World Cup successful 2022.
(With inputs from Reuters)
