On Friday evening, several FIFA officials landed in India to discuss the FIFA World Cup media rights with several broadcasters. After a lengthy discussion with several companies, an agreement is reported to be secured. Notably, FIFA initially demanded USD 100 million for the broadcast rights, which none of the Indian companies accepted. Later, they reduced it to USD 35 million, but still, the Indian companies denied.
They were concerned with the matches being played late at night and for the same reason, it would be hard for them to find sponsors and advertisers. In the meantime, the absence of confirmation had fuelled concern among supporters across the country, particularly given the scale of interest generated by previous World Cups.
In the meantime, former All India Football Federation general secretary Shaji Prabhakaran indicated on Friday that the situation may now be nearing resolution. Posting on X, he stated that negotiations linked to the Indian broadcast deal had concluded and that a formal declaration could arrive in the coming days.
“The wait is finally over. Negotiations are complete, and the official announcement for the FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcasting partner in India is expected next week. After months of uncertainty, fans can finally relax, the World Cup will be fully accessible in India. Get ready for the biggest World Cup in history!” Prabhakaran wrote on X.
DD Sports denied bidding for rights
Earlier in the month, Prasar Bharati clarified before the Delhi High Court that it had no involvement in obtaining media rights for the tournament. The statement added to speculation surrounding the delay and raised doubts among fans about who would eventually secure the package.
Officials within Indian football have also acknowledged the concerns voiced by supporters. While the AIFF maintained that media rights negotiations fall outside the federation’s responsibilities, deputy general secretary M Satyanarayan recently pointed to India’s commercial importance in global football.
Meanwhile, as per media reports, Zee is leading the race to hold the media rights for the FIFA World Cup. Nothing is confirmed by any of the parties involved.
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