Football attracts millions of viewers around the world, and each FIFA World Cup turns into this big, almost unavoidable global thing. Yet, in India cricket still   dominates most sports audiences. Football does have loyal supporters here, but honestly the fan base stays smaller, compared with cricket.

Now, as FIFA World Cup 2026 comes closer, there is still uncertainty on how Indian viewers will actually watch it. The tournament is scheduled to start on June 12, 2026. For many other countries, broadcasting rights have already been locked in. But for India, not a single broadcaster has reportedly grabbed the television rights, so far.

Naturally, this has become a worry for football fans across the country.

FIFA World Cup 2026 May Not Reach Indian Television Audiences

Right now, no major media company has agreed to buy the broadcasting rights for the Indian market. That means, there is no confirmed TV platform, for the tournament inside India.

This question reached the Delhi High Court after a petition asked for free telecasts of important matches, via Prasar Bharati. Prasar Bharati is India’s public broadcaster, and the petition basically claimed that football fans should have access to major international sporting events.

In response, Prasar Bharati told the court that showing the FIFA World Cup does not match its current responsibilities. That answer, left a bigger cloud hanging over whether Indian viewers will get official live coverage.

Late Match Timings Reduce Broadcaster Interest

One of the big reasons broadcasters seem less interested, is the match schedule itself.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Because of time-zone differences, several matches are expected to begin very late at night, as per Indian Standard Time.

Most Matches Will Air After Midnight in India

Okay so, out of 104 matches, around 90 are expected to kick off close to midnight in India. The last match on July 20 , is slated to start at 12:30 AM IST, you know. Typically, late night schedules tend to cut down on TV viewership, and broadcasters really lean on advertising money. So if fewer people watch, profits can take a hit.

Concerns About Low Television Ratings

Media companies have reportedly stayed away from bidding, because they say the overnight window will bring limited attention. Broadcasters usually go for sports that pull in bigger crowds during the prime time viewing slots, not during the sleepy hours.

Also, since football already has a smaller television audience in India compared to cricket, this late schedule adds yet another business issue on top of that.

Football Continues to Have Limited Reach in India

India has a national football team, but it mostly competes at the Asian level. The nation hasn’t qualified for the FIFA World Cup yet, so there’s that missing global stage.

Among Indian footballers, only a few names , like Baichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri, are broadly known. Everything else is much less familiar to most people.

And that situation has weighed on the commercial popularity of football in India. Sure, international clubs and tournaments do have followers, however domestic interest still does not reach the same size as cricket.

What the Situation Means for Indian Football Fans

If a broadcaster doesn’t buy the rights, a lot of Indian fans might not get a straightforward way to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 via normal TV channels.

Some viewers will probably rely on online updates, quick highlights, or international streaming options, if those show up. Others may track the tournament through social media, plus sports websites too.

The situation has disappointed football supporters who were hoping for wider access to one of the world’s biggest sporting events.