FIFA seals eight‑year deal with Zee Entertainment to broadcast 2026 World Cup in India

FIFA announced an eight‑year agreement with Indian media group Zee Entertainment to carry the 2026 FIFA World Cup across India. The contract, signed about ten days before the tournament’s kickoff on 11 June, also includes rights to the 2030 and 2034 men’s World Cups and the 2027 and 2031 women’s editions, covering a total of 39 FIFA events.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but earlier Reuters reports said FIFA had lowered its asking price from $100 million to $60 million for the package. Competing bids – such as a $20 million offer from JioStar, a joint venture of Reliance and Disney – were rejected. Zee’s shares rose roughly 7 % after the announcement, and the company said it will launch four dedicated sports channels to broaden football’s reach in India.

The deal resolves a months‑long standoff that threatened to leave the world’s two most populous markets without coverage, potentially affecting more than 1.4 billion viewers.