Zee Entertainment Secures FIFA World Cup 2026 Broadcast Rights in India
(Courtesy : Getty)
‘Z’ to showcase key FIFA events for 8 consecutive years in a row, from 2026 to 2034!
‘Z’ will be the home of football, airing major FIFA events, including the 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™ (2027, 2029, 2031 and 2033), FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ (2026, 2028, 2030, 2032 and 2034), FIFA Futsal Men’s World Cup™ (2028 and 2032), FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup™ (2029 and 2033), FIFA Women’s World Cup™ (2027) and FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ (2026-2030), in addition to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and FIFA World Cup 2030™.
Offering a well-curated mix of LIVE sporting action and engaging content, the Company has also secured the rights for docu-series on all the above-mentioned tournaments that uncover the grassroots communities, cultural dimensions and competitive spirit of the participating global nations.
The holistic content offering creates a compelling value proposition for consumers, further enabling the Company to garner a significant share of the Attention Economy by driving engagement on its linear and digital platforms with consumer cohorts across markets.
Re-igniting a sporting legacy for the Nation
In line with the precious words of Swami Vivekananda, the Company is taking all the required efforts to motivate the Indian youth to embrace the sport. The strategic investment by the Company further reflects a long-term commitment to build a robust sports portfolio, anchored in value-accretive marquee global properties and scalable audience engagement.
In order to ensure an engaging and unmatched viewing experience for sports fans across the Nation, the Company has also announced the launch of 4 dedicated sports channels namely, Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD.
The investment will enable a multi-fold advantage to FIFA’s flagship global properties, ensuring that the matches not only reach across the length, but also the depth of the Nation. The Company’s digital entertainment platform – Zee 5, will also ensure that football aficionados stay tuned to all the high-octane action, delivering a LIVE immersive viewing experience in a language of their choice. The Company’s integrated TV and Digital ecosystem will offer extensive reach, multi-language experience and real time engagement for fans across platforms, creating a compelling proposition for brands and viewers alike.
The partnership with FIFA further enables the Company to unlock the immense untapped potential of a global sport like football in India and amplify sports as a powerful driver of youth engagement, shaping National pride by uniting billions of fans across the Nation. The Company remains certain that the concerted action being taken for the sport will result in India regaining its glory once again on global stages like Olympics and FIFA World Cup.
Commenting on the strategic partnership, Punit Goenka, CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. said, “We are excited to bring one of the world’s biggest sporting spectacles to Indian audiences. Football cuts across regions and demographics, and the investments in garnering the media rights and launching dedicated sports channels, reflect our clear belief in its long-term potential. Our approach has been to invest in properties where we see current relevance and future growth potential. Our partnership with FIFA will enable us to unlock the true value of the sport in line with our sharp focus on growth and profitability, while amplifying the excitement of the game for every fan.”
Speaking about the partnership in India, Romy Gai, FIFA Chief Business Officer stated, “The FIFA World Cup is the greatest show on earth, and we are glad to partner with ‘Z’ for the first time, to bring this global spectacle to India. The Indian market is of strategic importance for FIFA as it displays immense potential driven by a young and passionate audience. We believe the extensive broadcast and digital distribution ecosystem of ‘Z’ coupled with their deep understanding oflocal viewers and multi-platform capabilities will play a pivotal role in expanding the reach of football with fans across every part of India.”
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Hardik is a journalist and Senior Assistant Editor at Khel Now. A graduate of Maharaja Agrasen College, Delhi University, he brings a versatile skill set to the table with experience in writing, editing, and on-camera work. A passionate follower of Manchester United, Lewis Hamilton, and CM Punk. He combines his love for sports with sharp editorial insight.