Millions could be unable to watch World Cup amid deal crisis
Millions of fans may miss the action from the FIFA World Cup because world soccer’s governing body has yet to strike a deal to broadcast the tournament in India.
FIFA media rights officials will visit the country this week, according to a report from Reuters, with only three weeks to go until the World Cup begins.
A 2024 report from Deloitte and Google on the future of sports in India states that soccer fans comprise 85 million of a total of 665 million sports fans in the country.
A FIFA spokesperson told Newsweek by email: “FIFA has concluded agreements with broadcasters in over 180 territories around the world, ahead of the biggest ever FIFA World Cup. Discussions in India regarding the sale of media rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 are ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage.”
Why It Matters
Years of preparation and a promise of a major boost for the U.S. economy promised to make the 2026 FIFA World Cup a success. But with less than a month until kick off, there are escalating concerns about the tournament.
Hotels are underbooked, tickets are undersold and ticket resale prices are dropping as demand continues to flag.
Ticket prices for games had been significantly higher than in past competitions. In an interview with the New York Post last week, President Donald Trump was asked to respond to the $1,000 price tag for the U.S. team’s opening game against Paraguay on June 12.
“I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you,” he told The Post.
What To Know
This year’s FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams and three host countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The biggest media company in India is Reliance-Disney, but discussions between them and FIFA have not resulted in a deal, per Reuters, who reported that Sony, which is a major player in the Indian media market, has also refrained from bidding.
The Reliance-Disney joint venture had offered $20 million for the FIFA rights.
FIFA had initially sought $100 million, but was looking for a minimum of $60 million, per Reuters.
It is currently unclear if there are negotiations between FIFA and the Reliance-Disney joint venture.
India made up 2.9 percent of the global linear TV reach during the most recent World Cup back in 2022.
Newsweek has contacted Sony and Reliance-Disney for comment.
A similar situation was at play in China, but a broadcasting deal was ultimately struck, with the parent of China’s state broadcaster, China Media Group, agreeing to a World Cup broadcasting deal to end a standoff over TV rights.
FIFA said in a statement to Newsweek “”FIFA can confirm it reached a record-breaking agreement with China Media Group over multiple tournaments, the highest deal in FIFA’s history with that territory, worth substantially more than reported figures.”
Although millions of people follow soccer in India, it is significantly less popular than cricket, which has 492 million fans per the report from Deloitte and Google.
What Happens Next
The opening match of the 2026 World Cup will be between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday, June 11. The tournament will run until July 19.
