The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off June 11. The USA, Canada, and Mexico are ready. So are 175 other countries. China locked its CCTV deal days ago. India? Nothing
Four weeks out, the FIFA World Cup 2026 has no Indian broadcaster. Not on TV. Not on streaming. For a country obsessed with football during World Cup season, that’s unheard of.
What Killed the FIFA World Cup 2026 Deal in India?
Money, first. FIFA wanted close to $100 million for India’s 2026 and 2030 rights. No broadcaster bit. They slashed it to $35 million. Still crickets.
JioStar, the Reliance-Disney behemoth, came in at $20 million. FIFA walked away. Now FIFA wants Rs 100 crore. JioStar won’t go past Rs 25 crore for digital. Deadlock.
Timing is brutal. Because the FIFA World Cup 2026 is in North America, Indian fans get 1:30 AM and 4:30 AM kickoffs. Advertisers hate that. Plus, FIFA bans pop-up ads during play. You get halftime. That’s it.
Cricket rules everything. JioStar and Sony have poured billions into IPL and Indian cricket. One insider put World Cup sponsorship value at just Rs 10–15 crore. The numbers don’t add up.
Can Doordarshan Save FIFA World Cup 2026 for India?
Maybe. On May 13, the Delhi High Court stepped in. A petition says the FIFA World Cup 2026 is a “national importance” event under Indian law. That could force Doordarshan to air it.
The court sent notice to the government and Prasar Bharati. Next hearing: May 20. DD Sports has offered Rs 5 crore for knockouts only. FIFA hasn’t answered.
So How Will India Watch FIFA World Cup 2026?
Three ways this ends:
1. JioStar caves last-minute if FIFA drops the price
2. YouTube or Amazon Prime buys streaming rights
3. The court forces DD Sports to show key games
India gave FIFA 2.9% of its global TV audience in 2022. Losing that hurts. It also hits Dubai brands banking on NRI viewers.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts soon. Right now, India is locked out.
