<p>With less that a fortnight for <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/fifa%20world%20cup%202026">FIFA World Cup 2026</a> to kickoff, India finally gets a broadcaster as Zee Entertainment announced a partnership with the global football body on Monday. </p><p>The announcement marks the end of a long, anxiety driven wait to finalise the broadcaster of the mega event in India. </p><p>Last week, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, who were one of the front-runners and were planning to air the tournament through Doordarshan's Sports Channel (DD Sports) backed out of the formal bidding process.</p>.Zee Entertainment in talks to stream FIFA World Cup in India.<p>The long-standing deadlock resulted from the offer prize. FIFA was reportedly ready to climb down on its offer price from $100 million to $35 million. </p><p>However leading broadcasters in India had placed a bid around $20 million, which the FIFA was not ready to accept, citing the fact that Qatar 2022 World Cup was sold at $35 million. </p><p>Despite the 2022 World Cup setting a record with over 110 million viewers consuming content digitally on JioCinema, a limbo continued for months.</p><p>India accounted for 2.9 per cent of the global linear TV reach of the World Cup in 2022. </p><p>The reluctance arose from major broadcasters in India to bid for television rights arose from match timings.</p><p>Most of the prime-time fixtures kick off at 12.30 am IST or 3.30 am and a few at 6.30 am, a slot at which monetisation opportunities for channels is very minimal. </p><p>China and India were two countries were broadcast rights for the FIFA marquee event were in a limbo.</p><p>However, China's state broadcaster -- CCTV -- secured rights to air World Cup this year as well in 2030, ending an agonising wait for fans. </p>
<p>With less that a fortnight for <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/fifa%20world%20cup%202026">FIFA World Cup 2026</a> to kickoff, India finally gets a broadcaster as Zee Entertainment announced a partnership with the global football body on Monday. </p><p>The announcement marks the end of a long, anxiety driven wait to finalise the broadcaster of the mega event in India. </p><p>Last week, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, who were one of the front-runners and were planning to air the tournament through Doordarshan's Sports Channel (DD Sports) backed out of the formal bidding process.</p>.Zee Entertainment in talks to stream FIFA World Cup in India.<p>The long-standing deadlock resulted from the offer prize. FIFA was reportedly ready to climb down on its offer price from $100 million to $35 million. </p><p>However leading broadcasters in India had placed a bid around $20 million, which the FIFA was not ready to accept, citing the fact that Qatar 2022 World Cup was sold at $35 million. </p><p>Despite the 2022 World Cup setting a record with over 110 million viewers consuming content digitally on JioCinema, a limbo continued for months.</p><p>India accounted for 2.9 per cent of the global linear TV reach of the World Cup in 2022. </p><p>The reluctance arose from major broadcasters in India to bid for television rights arose from match timings.</p><p>Most of the prime-time fixtures kick off at 12.30 am IST or 3.30 am and a few at 6.30 am, a slot at which monetisation opportunities for channels is very minimal. </p><p>China and India were two countries were broadcast rights for the FIFA marquee event were in a limbo.</p><p>However, China's state broadcaster -- CCTV -- secured rights to air World Cup this year as well in 2030, ending an agonising wait for fans. </p>
