Zee 5 is the official broadcaster of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Zee 5, the official broadcaster of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India, has pledged to contribute 15% of its subscription earnings towards the development of the Indian football ecosystem.

The company has expressed interest in helping support India’s ambitions of participating in the 2034 FIFA World Cup through structured training initiatives and create scalable league formats at the city, district, state and national level.

“The initiative aims to nurture young football talent at the city, district, and state levels, ensuring opportunities reach aspiring players across every corner of India. To achieve this, scalable grassroots leagues and development programmes will be introduced to create a strong talent pipeline from an early age, enabling players to compete effectively at the national level and, ultimately, on the global stage,” Zee 5 stated in a release.

“To further support its development initiatives, the Company will onboard renowned football personalities as domain experts to help build a conducive ecosystem for football in India. It will also collaborate with key sporting federations across the world, as well as national and state-level associations, to devise action-oriented strategies for talent identification and training, thereby encouraging football as a viable career path for the country’s youth,” the release further added.

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Speaking about the decision, Punit Goenka, chief executive officer (CEO), Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., said,

“India has a large, untapped reserve of football talent that harbours immense potential to compete on the global stage. As a responsible industry stakeholder and the home of football in India, it is our commitment to build a sustainable and conducive environment that nurtures the development of football in a holistic manner. Through this initiative, we are enabling our football viewers to invest in the dreams of countless young Indians who aspire to play the beautiful game on the global stage.

Before the start of the World Cup, Zee 5 had struck a deal, which runs until 2034, to stream all FIFA tournaments in India.

Published on Jun 18, 2026