FIFA media rights officials visit India, where no World Cup broadcast deal has yet been signed

FIFA media rights officials are visiting India this week, three sources said, ahead of next month’s World Cup, for which football’s governing body has not signed a broadcast deal with India due to differences over prices. Millions of football fans in India are at risk of not being able to watch the tournament due to a standoff over broadcast rights.

Chinese media groupthe parent company of China’s state broadcaster, signed a World Cup broadcast deal last week to end the standoff over television rights there.

The three sources familiar with FIFA’s plans said the media rights officials are in India, although details of who they are meeting and the exact agenda were not clear.

In a statement to ReutersFIFA said it has signed agreements with broadcasters in more than 180 territories and that discussions in India over the sale of media rights are ongoing and “must remain confidential at this stage”.

Conversations between the ⁠ Reliance Disney joint venture, India’s largest media company and FIFA did not materialize, and Sony, another major player, withheld a bid. Reuters has previously reported. Reliance Disney joint venture offered $20 million for the FIFA rights. That led to controversy because FIFA had initially asked for $100 million, but was looking for at least around $60 million last time. Reuters has reported.

It is not clear whether FIFA will meet Reliance Disney joint venture. The company, led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani Dependencydeclined to comment.

The World Cup kicks off on June 11, leaving just three weeks to finalize a deal, set up broadcast infrastructure and sell advertising inventory.

With around 85 million fans, football is popular in India but lags behind cricket, which has 492 million fans, according to a 2024 report by Deloitte and Google.

India accounted for 2.9% of the global linear TV reach at the 2022 World Cup.

Published on May 18, 2026