Zee Secures Decade‑Long FIFA Deal, Bringing World Cups to India

Zee Entertainment Enterprises has signed a fresh agreement that will let it show 39 FIFA events from 2026 to 2034, including the men’s and women’s World Cups. The contract gives Zee the rights to stream matches on its own channel network and online platform, ZEE5. It also covers age‑group tournaments such as the U‑17 and U‑20 World Cups, futsal championships, and even a documentary series about each event. The first broadcast will air on June 11, when the 2026 World Cup kicks off. Four new sports channels – Unite8 Sports 1, 1 HD (Hindi), and Unite8 Sports 2, 2 HD (English) – will carry the games. Zee’s move follows a long negotiation process in which FIFA lowered its asking price from $100 million to about $60 million.India’s biggest platform, JioStar, offered $20 million, and Sony pulled out of the bidding. The final amount paid by Zee was not made public. The partnership marks a turning point for Indian sports broadcasting. Traditionally dominated by cricket, the market is now opening up to other sports. Zee’s existing channel lineup already includes cricket, kabaddi, badminton and wrestling; adding FIFA titles expands its reach to football fans. Experts say India’s youthful population gives the sport huge potential. By investing in rights and dedicated channels, Zee aims to grow football’s fan base across the country.