Indian fans get World Cup access as Zee Lands FIFA rights

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Indian football fans have received a major boost ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Zee Entertainment securing the broadcasting rights for the tournament in the country.

In a statement issued on Monday, the media company said it had acquired the rights to broadcast the 2026 FIFA World Cup as well as 38 other FIFA events through 2034. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed, although Indian media reports estimated its value at between $30 million and $35 million.

The agreement is expected to make World Cup coverage more widely accessible to millions of football fans across India. According to Reuters, FIFA initially sought around $100 million for the Indian broadcast rights before reducing the asking price to $60 million.

Last month, China Media Group (CMG) secured exclusive broadcasting rights for the 2026 World Cup in China in a deal reportedly worth about $60 million.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has yet to finalize a broadcaster for the tournament. Industry sources estimate that acquiring the World Cup rights for the Bangladeshi market could cost around $12.3 million, with taxes and related charges pushing the total expenditure close to Tk 2 billion.

As a result, football fans in Bangladesh are still waiting to learn which broadcaster will air the matches live.

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