FIFA World Cup 2026: Tension Over! Zee Grabs Broadcast Rights for India

It's not just the 2026 World Cup. Zee Entertainment has bagged the media rights for all major FIFA tournaments in India right up to 2034.

New Delhi: Indian football fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief. After months of waiting and a lot of tension, Zee Entertainment has officially bagged the broadcast rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India. The official confirmation came out today.

You can watch the FIFA World Cup matches live on Zee Group's brand-new TV channel, 'United8 Sports'. For those who prefer streaming, the matches will also be available live on the Zee5 app.

All FIFA matches on Zee till 2034

This deal isn't just for the 2026 World Cup. Zee Entertainment has secured the media rights for all major FIFA tournaments in India until 2034. This finally puts an end to the big worry among fans about whether the World Cup would even be broadcast in India.

The main challenge was the match timings. This year's World Cup is being held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. For us in India, that means matches will be on late at night or in the early morning. Big players like JioHotstar and Sony Sports were hesitant to bid, thinking ad revenue would be low because of the odd hours.

FIFA lowers price; Zee makes a strong comeback

Initially, FIFA was asking for about $100 million for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups. When talks stalled, they dropped the price to $60 million. Other companies were reportedly offering only up to $20 million. Things changed when Zee Group made a strong comeback into sports broadcasting last week by launching its new 'United8 Sports' channels. While the company hasn't revealed the exact deal amount, reports suggest it's more than $20 million.

Zee Group CEO Punit Goenka said the company is thrilled to bring one of the world's biggest sporting events to Indian viewers. This is the first time in history that 48 teams will be competing in the World Cup. The tournament kicks off on July 11, and this announcement for the official Indian broadcaster has come just 11 days before it starts.

Here are the other major FIFA tournaments you can watch live on the Zee network:

• FIFA World Cup 2030
• FIFA Women's World Cup 2027
• FIFA Men's U-17 World Cup (2026-2034)
• FIFA Women's U-17 World Cup (2026-2034)
• FIFA U-20 Men's World Cup
• FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
• FIFA Futsal Men's World Cup
• FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup
• FIFA Intercontinental Cup (2026-2030)