Indian football fans will be able to watch upcoming FIFA tournaments via Zee Network after the broadcaster apparently secured the FIFA World Cup rights package for India. The agreement gives Zee Network entry to a broad set of FIFA happenings and it kind of solidifies its place in sports broadcasting, a bit more than before I mean.

Zee Network bags the FIFA rights pack

Zee Network has acquired the broadcast rights for FIFA events in India through a long-term arrangement with FIFA. The deal was actually sealed shortly before the launch of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and it’s been described as a long-term one.

The arrangement is set to run until 2034, meaning Zee Network gets the permission to air several high-profile international football competitions across that stretch.

Agreement runs for major FIFA events up to 2034

As per the contract , Zee Network will control the right to broadcast 38 FIFA tournaments through 2034. The exact financial value is not shared publicly, so that part is still quiet.

What the rights bundle includes

This rights package goes beyond just the men’s World Cup, and it also covers a chain of FIFA competitions planned over the next eight years.

Coverage of 38 FIFA tournaments

The package offers access to a wide selection of FIFA events, so Zee Network can keep Indian viewers plugged into international football tournament coverage, year after year.

Broadcasting timeline starting with 2026

The partnership starts with the 2026 tournament cycle and continues into 2034, with multiple major FIFA events falling inside this window. 

2026 FIFA World Cup set for North America

The next FIFA World Cup is scheduled to begin on June 11, and it will be hosted across three countries, the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Tournament hosts and kickoff date

This edition is set to be one of those, kinda historic tournaments, hosted jointly by the three North American nations, um… and the broadcast deal was actually wrapped up about 10 days before the competition was supposed to kick off.

FIFA’s Rights Valuation and Negotiations

Before FIFA agreed to anything, the organization reportedly wanted a rather chunky, substantial fee for the India broadcasting package.

Initial and Revised Pricing Expectations

At first, reports said FIFA priced the India rights package for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups at roughly $100 million. Then, later chatter suggested that their asking price got trimmed to about $60 million, so yeah, a reduction.

The Bidding Process

In the build up phase, multiple broadcasters were mentioned as being involved in the rights talks, before the final agreement was locked in.

JioStar’s Reported Bid

Per reports, JioStar reportedly went in with an offer around $20 million for the rights package. FIFA, however, didn’t take that deal.

Sony’s Involvement in Discussions

Sony was also said to be in the discussions, but in the end the company chose not to file a formal bid, or at least that’s what was reported.

What This Means for Indian Viewers

Now that Zee Network has secured the rights, Indian football viewers should get coverage of major FIFA tournaments right through 2034. Basically, this is a long run broadcasting arrangement for some of the world’s biggest football moments, including future editions of the FIFA World Cup.